Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus No. 8 Southern Miss on November 9, 2026 , Win , 2, to, 0
WSOC
Final
James Madison
2
vs No. 8 Southern Miss
0
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
11/13/2026 2:15:00 PM | Administration
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison University President James Schmidt on Friday announced a contract extension for Matt Roan under the new title of Vice President and Director of Athletics with a new term through June 30, 2031.
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"We are excited to recognize Matt Roan's impact at James Madison by designating him with the new title of Vice President and Director of Athletics," Schmidt said. "Matt is one of the most forward-thinking AD's in the nation and continues to position JMU well in so many aspects, from revenue sharing to alignment of priorities, and of course our move to join the American Conference in the near future.  The Vice President title recognizes the critical role he plays as a member of the President's Cabinet. I appreciate the collaborative approach he brings to the table to ensure that Athletics is a healthy component to the overall vitality of the university. We're so glad to have Matt, Mallory and their children as part of the JMU family and thank him for his excellent work to move our athletics division forward in innovative ways."
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"I am incredibly grateful to President Jim and the Board of Visitors for this affirmation of what we've accomplished at JMU, the value that our strong athletics program brings to the university, and the confidence in what lies ahead of us. We have unparalleled alignment at JMU, which makes special achievements possible," Roan said. "I'm fortunate to provide opportunities and experiences for the absolute best student-athletes in college athletics, while working alongside unrivaled administrative leadership, coaches and staff, and serving as a conduit to an elite fanbase and group of alumni. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together in a relatively short time, and I'm convicted about the unlimited potential for this department and institution and what we'll achieve. Finally, on a personal level, I want to personally thank JMU Nation and this community for how you've supported me, embraced Mallory, and made our entire family feel so welcome. I always wanted to be a JMU Duke, and we look forward to the future in Harrisonburg."
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Matt Roan was appointed director of athletics at James Madison University on April 18, 2024, bringing to JMU more than a decade of Division I athletics leadership and a reputation for building programs positioned for sustained success. A Virginia native with deep ties to the Commonwealth, Roan has quickly established himself as a transformational leader at JMU, guiding the department through a period of unprecedented change in college athletics while elevating competitive excellence, student-athlete success, revenue generation, community engagement and national visibility.
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Under Roan's leadership, JMU Athletics has continued its emergence as one of the nation's most successful and distinctive intercollegiate athletics programs. Most recently, the proof emerged in the form of the announcement that James Madison will join the American Conference no later than July 1, 2028. The move elevates the university's profile and enhances competitive opportunities across all sports with increased visibility, academic peer alignment and access to the institution's expanding constituency base.
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During his first two and a half years, the Dukes have captured conference championships in football, women's basketball, lacrosse and swimming and diving, along with regular-season championships in men's and women's basketball, volleyball, women's soccer and field hockey. Currently this Fall, JMU captured a regular season title in women's soccer and has had three programs receiving votes in national polls (football, men's soccer, women's basketball), with football still competing for a league title approaching the latter portion of the season.
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The 2025-26 season represented a historic high point. JMU Football finished 12-2, went undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play to claim the league championship and became the first program in Virginia history to participate in the College Football Playoff. The Dukes finished the season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll, the first national ranking in a season's final AP Poll in program history. The season generated an estimated $446 million in advertising value equivalency and 86 billion media impressions, while the CFP appearance alone generated an estimated $298 million in advertising value equivalency.
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JMU's success under Roan has extended well beyond football. During 2025-26, the Dukes earned 15 victories and two ties against Power Four opponents, four teams appeared in national polls, and JMU student-athletes collected seven All-America honors, five conference Player of the Year awards and two Coach of the Year honors. The department finished 19th among all schools outside the Power Four in the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings.
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Roan's first season established the foundation for that success. In 2024-25, JMU Football went 9-4 and earned the first bowl victory in program history, while men's and women's basketball captured Sun Belt regular-season championships. Women's soccer and lacrosse won both regular-season and tournament championships, field hockey captured a regular-season title, and swimming and diving won its seventh conference championship in eight years.
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For Roan, competitive excellence is inseparable from academic achievement, personal development and service to others. JMU student-athletes have maintained department GPAs above 3.1 during his tenure, while the department has posted a 90 NCAA Graduation Success Rate and single-year Academic Progress Rate scores above 990.
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More than 200 student-athletes have earned Dean's List recognition in each of Roan's first two years, with more than 100 Dukes earning degrees annually. JMU also has continued to earn national recognition for academic achievement, including multiple Academic All-America selections in 2024-25.
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Community engagement has become another defining element of the JMU student-athlete experience. The department established consecutive records for community involvement during Roan's first two years, increasing from 9,238 hours in 2024-25 to 10,820 hours in 2025-26. The most recent total ranked JMU eighth nationally among more than 100 Division I programs tracking community involvement through Helper Helper and represented the first time the Dukes surpassed 10,000 hours in a single year.
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Roan has also guided JMU Athletics through some of the most consequential changes in the history of college sports. His tenure has included implementation of the new financial and governance framework resulting from the NCAA v. House settlement, development of new scholarship and student-athlete enhancement models, and the launch of Honors1, JMU's unified approach to expanding student-athlete access to name, image and likeness opportunities.
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Recognizing the importance of building sustainable resources for championship-level athletics, Roan has emphasized revenue generation, fiscal responsibility, external engagement and strategic investment. Football season-ticket sales have sold out in each of his three seasons, including JMU's first-ever six-for-six sellout of all regular-season home football games. Overall, JMU has sold out 21 of its last 23 football regular season games while setting records in 2026 for season ticket revenue and single-game revenue (Marshall Family Weekend).
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Fundraising also reached unprecedented levels during his first year. JMU Athletics saw its total fundraising climb from $6.54 million prior to his arrival to $7.74 million in FY25 and $9.49 million in FY26. As part of that, the Duke Club Proud and True Fund grew from $4.75 million to $5.40 million and then $5.84 million. Total donors also skyrocketed from 8,665 in FY24 to 12,657 for FY26. Sport-specific fundraising also reached new heights, including nearly $500,000 generated in FY25 followed by $541,000 in FY26 through the department's "Diggin' Dukes" initiative.
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In January 2026, Roan announced a modernized athletics organizational structure built around a collaborative pod system, designed to strengthen coordination across the department while emphasizing revenue generation, fiscal management, operational efficiency and continued investment in student-athlete success. He's made multiple key personnel hires, while welcoming new head coaches in football's Billy Napier and field hockey's Allysa Parker Rosenblum.
Â
Roan has embraced JMU's unique position within the changing landscape of college athletics while maintaining a strong commitment to the university's identity and mission. During his tenure, he has worked closely with university leadership and campus partners, including providing input during the development of The Madison Promise, JMU's strategic vision for the future. He is an integral member of university's exploration of the Madison District to reshape the central part of campus. Athletics is also currently nearing completion of its own strategic plan to guide the department through 2029.
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His leadership has also expanded beyond campus. Roan completed a turn as vice chair of the Sun Belt Athletic Directors Committee. He has received appointments to both the NCAA Division I FBS and FCS Oversight Committees. Previously, he also represented the ASUN Conference on the NCAA Division I Council, NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee and FCS Athletic Directors Executive Committee.
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Roan has also strengthened JMU's connections across the Commonwealth. The Dukes have won the TowneBank Royal Rivalry against Old Dominion three times in four years and established the Battle of the Blue Ridge football rivalry series with Liberty, which the Dukes lead 2-0.
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Before joining JMU, Roan served four years as director of athletics at Eastern Kentucky University from 2020-2024. He also previously served as director of athletics at Nicholls State University from 2016-20. He began his administrative career as deputy director of athletics at Southern Utah University and Eastern Kentucky. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky in 2012 and previously worked in football administration and as an academic tutor and mentor at Kentucky.
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A graduate of Southern Utah University, Roan earned a Bachelor of Science in political science in 2007, graduating summa cum laude while also minoring in history. He was a three-time all-conference selection as an offensive lineman after transferring from Virginia Tech. A Dublin, Virginia native, Roan also spent a year as a football assistant coach at Hargrave Military Academy.
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Matt and his wife, Mallory, have four children: daughters Gattlyn and Radley and sons Catcher and Shepard.
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"We are excited to recognize Matt Roan's impact at James Madison by designating him with the new title of Vice President and Director of Athletics," Schmidt said. "Matt is one of the most forward-thinking AD's in the nation and continues to position JMU well in so many aspects, from revenue sharing to alignment of priorities, and of course our move to join the American Conference in the near future.  The Vice President title recognizes the critical role he plays as a member of the President's Cabinet. I appreciate the collaborative approach he brings to the table to ensure that Athletics is a healthy component to the overall vitality of the university. We're so glad to have Matt, Mallory and their children as part of the JMU family and thank him for his excellent work to move our athletics division forward in innovative ways."
Â
"I am incredibly grateful to President Jim and the Board of Visitors for this affirmation of what we've accomplished at JMU, the value that our strong athletics program brings to the university, and the confidence in what lies ahead of us. We have unparalleled alignment at JMU, which makes special achievements possible," Roan said. "I'm fortunate to provide opportunities and experiences for the absolute best student-athletes in college athletics, while working alongside unrivaled administrative leadership, coaches and staff, and serving as a conduit to an elite fanbase and group of alumni. I'm proud of what we've accomplished together in a relatively short time, and I'm convicted about the unlimited potential for this department and institution and what we'll achieve. Finally, on a personal level, I want to personally thank JMU Nation and this community for how you've supported me, embraced Mallory, and made our entire family feel so welcome. I always wanted to be a JMU Duke, and we look forward to the future in Harrisonburg."
Â
Matt Roan was appointed director of athletics at James Madison University on April 18, 2024, bringing to JMU more than a decade of Division I athletics leadership and a reputation for building programs positioned for sustained success. A Virginia native with deep ties to the Commonwealth, Roan has quickly established himself as a transformational leader at JMU, guiding the department through a period of unprecedented change in college athletics while elevating competitive excellence, student-athlete success, revenue generation, community engagement and national visibility.
Â
Under Roan's leadership, JMU Athletics has continued its emergence as one of the nation's most successful and distinctive intercollegiate athletics programs. Most recently, the proof emerged in the form of the announcement that James Madison will join the American Conference no later than July 1, 2028. The move elevates the university's profile and enhances competitive opportunities across all sports with increased visibility, academic peer alignment and access to the institution's expanding constituency base.
Â
During his first two and a half years, the Dukes have captured conference championships in football, women's basketball, lacrosse and swimming and diving, along with regular-season championships in men's and women's basketball, volleyball, women's soccer and field hockey. Currently this Fall, JMU captured a regular season title in women's soccer and has had three programs receiving votes in national polls (football, men's soccer, women's basketball), with football still competing for a league title approaching the latter portion of the season.
Â
The 2025-26 season represented a historic high point. JMU Football finished 12-2, went undefeated in Sun Belt Conference play to claim the league championship and became the first program in Virginia history to participate in the College Football Playoff. The Dukes finished the season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll, the first national ranking in a season's final AP Poll in program history. The season generated an estimated $446 million in advertising value equivalency and 86 billion media impressions, while the CFP appearance alone generated an estimated $298 million in advertising value equivalency.
Â
JMU's success under Roan has extended well beyond football. During 2025-26, the Dukes earned 15 victories and two ties against Power Four opponents, four teams appeared in national polls, and JMU student-athletes collected seven All-America honors, five conference Player of the Year awards and two Coach of the Year honors. The department finished 19th among all schools outside the Power Four in the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings.
Â
Roan's first season established the foundation for that success. In 2024-25, JMU Football went 9-4 and earned the first bowl victory in program history, while men's and women's basketball captured Sun Belt regular-season championships. Women's soccer and lacrosse won both regular-season and tournament championships, field hockey captured a regular-season title, and swimming and diving won its seventh conference championship in eight years.
Â
For Roan, competitive excellence is inseparable from academic achievement, personal development and service to others. JMU student-athletes have maintained department GPAs above 3.1 during his tenure, while the department has posted a 90 NCAA Graduation Success Rate and single-year Academic Progress Rate scores above 990.
Â
More than 200 student-athletes have earned Dean's List recognition in each of Roan's first two years, with more than 100 Dukes earning degrees annually. JMU also has continued to earn national recognition for academic achievement, including multiple Academic All-America selections in 2024-25.
Â
Community engagement has become another defining element of the JMU student-athlete experience. The department established consecutive records for community involvement during Roan's first two years, increasing from 9,238 hours in 2024-25 to 10,820 hours in 2025-26. The most recent total ranked JMU eighth nationally among more than 100 Division I programs tracking community involvement through Helper Helper and represented the first time the Dukes surpassed 10,000 hours in a single year.
Â
Roan has also guided JMU Athletics through some of the most consequential changes in the history of college sports. His tenure has included implementation of the new financial and governance framework resulting from the NCAA v. House settlement, development of new scholarship and student-athlete enhancement models, and the launch of Honors1, JMU's unified approach to expanding student-athlete access to name, image and likeness opportunities.
Â
Recognizing the importance of building sustainable resources for championship-level athletics, Roan has emphasized revenue generation, fiscal responsibility, external engagement and strategic investment. Football season-ticket sales have sold out in each of his three seasons, including JMU's first-ever six-for-six sellout of all regular-season home football games. Overall, JMU has sold out 21 of its last 23 football regular season games while setting records in 2026 for season ticket revenue and single-game revenue (Marshall Family Weekend).
Â
Fundraising also reached unprecedented levels during his first year. JMU Athletics saw its total fundraising climb from $6.54 million prior to his arrival to $7.74 million in FY25 and $9.49 million in FY26. As part of that, the Duke Club Proud and True Fund grew from $4.75 million to $5.40 million and then $5.84 million. Total donors also skyrocketed from 8,665 in FY24 to 12,657 for FY26. Sport-specific fundraising also reached new heights, including nearly $500,000 generated in FY25 followed by $541,000 in FY26 through the department's "Diggin' Dukes" initiative.
Â
In January 2026, Roan announced a modernized athletics organizational structure built around a collaborative pod system, designed to strengthen coordination across the department while emphasizing revenue generation, fiscal management, operational efficiency and continued investment in student-athlete success. He's made multiple key personnel hires, while welcoming new head coaches in football's Billy Napier and field hockey's Allysa Parker Rosenblum.
Â
Roan has embraced JMU's unique position within the changing landscape of college athletics while maintaining a strong commitment to the university's identity and mission. During his tenure, he has worked closely with university leadership and campus partners, including providing input during the development of The Madison Promise, JMU's strategic vision for the future. He is an integral member of university's exploration of the Madison District to reshape the central part of campus. Athletics is also currently nearing completion of its own strategic plan to guide the department through 2029.
Â
His leadership has also expanded beyond campus. Roan completed a turn as vice chair of the Sun Belt Athletic Directors Committee. He has received appointments to both the NCAA Division I FBS and FCS Oversight Committees. Previously, he also represented the ASUN Conference on the NCAA Division I Council, NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee and FCS Athletic Directors Executive Committee.
Â
Roan has also strengthened JMU's connections across the Commonwealth. The Dukes have won the TowneBank Royal Rivalry against Old Dominion three times in four years and established the Battle of the Blue Ridge football rivalry series with Liberty, which the Dukes lead 2-0.
Â
Before joining JMU, Roan served four years as director of athletics at Eastern Kentucky University from 2020-2024. He also previously served as director of athletics at Nicholls State University from 2016-20. He began his administrative career as deputy director of athletics at Southern Utah University and Eastern Kentucky. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky in 2012 and previously worked in football administration and as an academic tutor and mentor at Kentucky.
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A graduate of Southern Utah University, Roan earned a Bachelor of Science in political science in 2007, graduating summa cum laude while also minoring in history. He was a three-time all-conference selection as an offensive lineman after transferring from Virginia Tech. A Dublin, Virginia native, Roan also spent a year as a football assistant coach at Hargrave Military Academy.
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Matt and his wife, Mallory, have four children: daughters Gattlyn and Radley and sons Catcher and Shepard.
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