Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Kent State on November 3, 2025 at 6 p.m.
WBB
6 p.m.
James Madison
vs Kent State
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Women's Basketball
Sean O'Regan
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- oregansc@jmu.edu
- Phone:
- 540-568-6513
- Physical Address:
- Atlantic Union Bank Center 1057 (645 University Blvd.) / MSC 4702
Sean O’Regan enters his 10th season as the Dukes' head women's basketball coach in 2025-26, and his 19th season as a member of the JMU coaching staff.
O’Regan helped lead to JMU to a program-record 30 wins with a 30-6 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference Play. He was voted the 2025 Sun Belt Coach of the Year, while Peyton McDaniel was named Sun Belt Player of the Year and Ro Scott was selected as Sixth Women of the Year. Additionally, McDaniel (First Team) Kseniia Kozlova (First Team) and Ashanti Barnes (Third Team) earned All-Sun Belt honors. The 2024-25 campaign included a 20-game winning streak – the longest such streak under the direction of O’Regan. The Dukes received national recognition by receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for five consecutive weeks (Feb. 17 – March 17). JMU made its third consecutive postseason tournament appearance after being selected as a No. 1 seed in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.
The 2023-24 campaign saw the Dukes record a 23-12 overall record with a 13-5 mark in league play, highlighted by the program’s second consecutive trip to the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship title game. Peyton McDaniel and Kseniia Kozlova earned both Second Team All-Sun Belt and All-Tournament Team honors for their efforts. The squad finished first in Division I in defensive rebounds per game (32.3), second in rebounds per game (47.49), fifth in rebound margin (+11.3), ninth in bench points per game (27.8) and 12th in field goal percentage defense (.361). The Dukes made its second-straight postseason tournament appearance after being selected as an at-large bid for the newly-formed WBIT.
O’Regan's squad went 26-8 (13-5 Sun Belt) 2022-23 in which the Dukes captured the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship title and earned an NCAA Tournament berth. His squad led the league in scoring margin (+8.8), opponent field goal percentage (.361), opponent three-point percentage (.286), and rebounding margin (+8.1). Kiki Jefferson was named Sun Belt Player of the Year, while Peyton McDaniel was tabbed as the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year. The two dazzled in the SBC Tournament, with Jefferson earning the conference’s Most Outstanding Player award and McDaniel picking up All-Tournament Team honors.
In 2021-22, O’Regan coached VaSID First Team All-State and Second Team All-CAA honoree Kiki Jefferson, who became the 32nd player in program history to surpass the 1,000-point milestone. Jefferson led the Dukes and finished third in the conference with 18.8 points per game. The guard netted 174 foul shots over the course of the season to rank fourth in the country in free throws made. The Dukes were ineligible for postseason play due to conference realignment.
In an odd 2020-21 season due to COVID-19, O'Regan led his team to a 14-10 record and earned the No. 2 seed in the CAA Tournament. The Dukes dominated Northeastern 81-65 in the quarterfinals but fell just short to No. 3 Drexel, eventual champion, in the semifinals, 79-76 in overtime.
For the second consecutive season, O'Regan has coached the CAA Rookie of the Year as Peyton McDaniel earned the honor to become the 10th Duke in program history to do so. Former Rookie of the Year Kiki Jefferson landed on the 2020-21 All-CAA First Team while Rayne Tucker earned a spot on the All-CAA Third Team. Freshmen Peyton McDaniel and Jamia Hazell secured spots on the All-CAA Rookie Team after taking home CAA Rookie of the Week honors a combined six times in 14 opportunities.
Despite the crazy season of scheduling the Dukes still handled business on the court as JMU led the CAA in free throw percentage (76.8%) while being third in conference in scoring (70.0), field goal percentage (41.3) and three-point percentage (32.5).
Prior to the season getting shutdown early due to COVID-19 concerns, O’Regan led the team to its third consecutive CAA regular-season title after finishing the year with a 25-4 (16-2 CAA) record in 2019-20.
On Feb. 28, 2020, JMU dominated Drexel for a convincing 69-39 win in the Convocation Center to give O’Regan his 100th career victory. With the win, O’Regan became the fastest coach in program history to win 100 games (130 total games).
Following the season senior Kamiah Smalls was named the CAA Player of the Year, senior Kayla Cooper-Williams earned her second consecutive CAA Defensive Player of the Year nod and freshman Kiki Jefferson was tabbed CAA Rookie of the Year. The Dukes led the CAA with five all-conference selections: Kamiah Smalls (POY, First Team), Kayla Cooper-Williams (DPOY, All-Defensive Team, Third Team), Kiki Jefferson (ROY, All-Rookie Team), Jackie Benitez (Second Team) and Rayne Tucker (All-Rookie Team).
In his third year, O’Regan guided JMU to one of its most successful seasons in program history. He helped the Dukes advance to the WNIT Semifinals for the first time since 2012. The 29 team wins produced tied the program record for wins in a season, while capping off 18 wins in the Convocation Center for a program record and piecing together 31-straight wins at Convo for the second longest streak in JMU history.
O’Regan led the Dukes to two more team records in 236 three-pointers made and 218 blocks. The Dukes defense held 16 opponents under 50 points for their most in the Division I era and tied for the most in program history. JMU also held seven opponents under 40 points for the most in the Division I era and tied for most in program history.
O’Regan boasted CAA Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive Team, All-CAA Third Team, ECAC Honorable Mention Kayla Cooper-Williams during the season. Cooper-Williams broke the school record for blocks and ended the year at 240. She set three other records during the 2018-19 season. O’Regan also guided transfer Jackie Benitez to CAA Sixth Player of the Year accolades along with earning CAA Third Team and WNIT All-Tournament Team honors. Benitez accounted for 95 of the three-pointers made on the season, sixth most by a player in a season. In another strong year for Kamiah Smalls, O’Regan helped the junior earn All-CAA First Team, Richmond-Times Dispatch Player of the Year, Richmond-Times Dispatch First Team and VaSID First Team All-State honors. Junior Lexie Barrier earned All-CAA Second Team honors before her season ended due to injury before postseason play.
His second season saw a continuation of the success he helped build, as O'Regan guided the Dukes to a 23-11 record and a second straight appearance in the WNIT Third Round. Sophomores Kamiah Smalls (First Team), Lexie Barrier (Second Team) and Kelly Koshuta (Third Team) were all named to All-CAA teams following the season.
In his first season as head coach, O'Regan led the Dukes to a 26-9 season, a fourth consecutive appearance in the CAA title game and a third-round appearance in the WNIT after taking down Radford and Virginia at the Convo.
He coached Precious Hall (JMU '17) to three player of the year nods, including the CAA's accolade, as she set the JMU single-game record (46pts at Rutgers) and single-season record for points (841), finishing her career with 2,347 points. He also guided Kamiah Smalls to a unanimous selection as CAA Rookie of the Year after tallying a JMU record six CAA Rookie of the Week nods.
O'Regan has coached on the JMU women's basketball sidelines for 15 seasons, returning to his alma mater for the 2007-08 season as an assistant coach. He continued to ascend the Dukes' coaching ranks, being elevated to associate head coach in 2012 under JMU hall of fame coach Kenny Brooks.
"I'm so thankful for this incredible opportunity to build on the established success of the JMU women's basketball program," O'Regan said. "To be the head coach of a team of this caliber has always been a dream of mine. I'm thrilled to continue to work with this group of players and to give the fans another exciting season. I want to thank Jeff Bourne for trusting me with this program and of course Kenny Brooks for helping me get to where I am as a coach today."
Before becoming head coach, O'Regan served as the primary guards coach and handled scheduling. He had also been a primary coach for post players, the junior-college transfer recruiter and community relations coordinator.
In O'Regan's nine seasons at JMU as an assistant, the Dukes averaged over 26 wins per year and advanced to postseason play all nine years. JMU teams have a record of 239-70, a winning percentage of .773, during his tenure (2007-16).
The Dukes have advanced to the postseason all 10 years O'Regan has been on staff with five trips to the NCAA Tournament. In 2014, JMU won its first tournament game since 1991 by defeating sixth-seeded Gonzaga 72-63 in the first round.
In 2015-16, JMU captured its third consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship and fifth overall with O'Regan on the bench. The Dukes have also featured five CAA Players of the Year, all of whom were guards, over the last nine years.
As a team in 2016, the Dukes finished the regular season and league tournament on a 20-game win streak as they won their third consecutive CAA regular-season and tournament titles. JMU began receiving votes in the final regular-season polls and entered the NCAA tournament with the top 3-point field-goal defense in the country.
The 2015 season saw JMU ranked as high as No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The 2014 JMU squad won the first NCAA tournament game since 1991, a 72-63 victory over No. 6 Gonzaga in the round of 64. The 2012 team advanced to the WNIT championship game, and the 2013 team advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals.
O'Regan was recognized as one of the top assistants in mid-major conferences, as Jason Belzer of CollegeInsider.com rated him number 11 on his 2011-12 list of the nation's top 25 assistant coaches in the mid-majors. Criteria used by Belzer included longevity with the program, overall program success while on staff, total years as an assistant, head coaching experience, recruiting, reputation amongst peers, and future potential. Belzer created the list "to honor those assistants who have done great work throughout their careers and bring something truly special to a staff." He wrote that "O'Regan has been integral to the Dukes' consistent success."
A JMU alum, O'Regan got his start in coaching as a student manager for the Dukes' men's basketball program and was a three-year head manager before graduating in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and concentration in sports management.
After graduation, he went to Evansville to be the men's basketball director of operations before moving into an assistant coaching position from 2005-07.
A native of Montpelier, Vt., O'Regan is married to the former Cara Campo, who is the Vice President of Marketing at a Boston-based firm. The two are parents to a son, Liam, born in October 2009, and a daughter, Addison Susan, born in May 2013.
O’Regan helped lead to JMU to a program-record 30 wins with a 30-6 overall record and a perfect 18-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference Play. He was voted the 2025 Sun Belt Coach of the Year, while Peyton McDaniel was named Sun Belt Player of the Year and Ro Scott was selected as Sixth Women of the Year. Additionally, McDaniel (First Team) Kseniia Kozlova (First Team) and Ashanti Barnes (Third Team) earned All-Sun Belt honors. The 2024-25 campaign included a 20-game winning streak – the longest such streak under the direction of O’Regan. The Dukes received national recognition by receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll for five consecutive weeks (Feb. 17 – March 17). JMU made its third consecutive postseason tournament appearance after being selected as a No. 1 seed in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.
The 2023-24 campaign saw the Dukes record a 23-12 overall record with a 13-5 mark in league play, highlighted by the program’s second consecutive trip to the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship title game. Peyton McDaniel and Kseniia Kozlova earned both Second Team All-Sun Belt and All-Tournament Team honors for their efforts. The squad finished first in Division I in defensive rebounds per game (32.3), second in rebounds per game (47.49), fifth in rebound margin (+11.3), ninth in bench points per game (27.8) and 12th in field goal percentage defense (.361). The Dukes made its second-straight postseason tournament appearance after being selected as an at-large bid for the newly-formed WBIT.
O’Regan's squad went 26-8 (13-5 Sun Belt) 2022-23 in which the Dukes captured the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Championship title and earned an NCAA Tournament berth. His squad led the league in scoring margin (+8.8), opponent field goal percentage (.361), opponent three-point percentage (.286), and rebounding margin (+8.1). Kiki Jefferson was named Sun Belt Player of the Year, while Peyton McDaniel was tabbed as the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year. The two dazzled in the SBC Tournament, with Jefferson earning the conference’s Most Outstanding Player award and McDaniel picking up All-Tournament Team honors.
In 2021-22, O’Regan coached VaSID First Team All-State and Second Team All-CAA honoree Kiki Jefferson, who became the 32nd player in program history to surpass the 1,000-point milestone. Jefferson led the Dukes and finished third in the conference with 18.8 points per game. The guard netted 174 foul shots over the course of the season to rank fourth in the country in free throws made. The Dukes were ineligible for postseason play due to conference realignment.
In an odd 2020-21 season due to COVID-19, O'Regan led his team to a 14-10 record and earned the No. 2 seed in the CAA Tournament. The Dukes dominated Northeastern 81-65 in the quarterfinals but fell just short to No. 3 Drexel, eventual champion, in the semifinals, 79-76 in overtime.
For the second consecutive season, O'Regan has coached the CAA Rookie of the Year as Peyton McDaniel earned the honor to become the 10th Duke in program history to do so. Former Rookie of the Year Kiki Jefferson landed on the 2020-21 All-CAA First Team while Rayne Tucker earned a spot on the All-CAA Third Team. Freshmen Peyton McDaniel and Jamia Hazell secured spots on the All-CAA Rookie Team after taking home CAA Rookie of the Week honors a combined six times in 14 opportunities.
Despite the crazy season of scheduling the Dukes still handled business on the court as JMU led the CAA in free throw percentage (76.8%) while being third in conference in scoring (70.0), field goal percentage (41.3) and three-point percentage (32.5).
Prior to the season getting shutdown early due to COVID-19 concerns, O’Regan led the team to its third consecutive CAA regular-season title after finishing the year with a 25-4 (16-2 CAA) record in 2019-20.
On Feb. 28, 2020, JMU dominated Drexel for a convincing 69-39 win in the Convocation Center to give O’Regan his 100th career victory. With the win, O’Regan became the fastest coach in program history to win 100 games (130 total games).
Following the season senior Kamiah Smalls was named the CAA Player of the Year, senior Kayla Cooper-Williams earned her second consecutive CAA Defensive Player of the Year nod and freshman Kiki Jefferson was tabbed CAA Rookie of the Year. The Dukes led the CAA with five all-conference selections: Kamiah Smalls (POY, First Team), Kayla Cooper-Williams (DPOY, All-Defensive Team, Third Team), Kiki Jefferson (ROY, All-Rookie Team), Jackie Benitez (Second Team) and Rayne Tucker (All-Rookie Team).
In his third year, O’Regan guided JMU to one of its most successful seasons in program history. He helped the Dukes advance to the WNIT Semifinals for the first time since 2012. The 29 team wins produced tied the program record for wins in a season, while capping off 18 wins in the Convocation Center for a program record and piecing together 31-straight wins at Convo for the second longest streak in JMU history.
O’Regan led the Dukes to two more team records in 236 three-pointers made and 218 blocks. The Dukes defense held 16 opponents under 50 points for their most in the Division I era and tied for the most in program history. JMU also held seven opponents under 40 points for the most in the Division I era and tied for most in program history.
O’Regan boasted CAA Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive Team, All-CAA Third Team, ECAC Honorable Mention Kayla Cooper-Williams during the season. Cooper-Williams broke the school record for blocks and ended the year at 240. She set three other records during the 2018-19 season. O’Regan also guided transfer Jackie Benitez to CAA Sixth Player of the Year accolades along with earning CAA Third Team and WNIT All-Tournament Team honors. Benitez accounted for 95 of the three-pointers made on the season, sixth most by a player in a season. In another strong year for Kamiah Smalls, O’Regan helped the junior earn All-CAA First Team, Richmond-Times Dispatch Player of the Year, Richmond-Times Dispatch First Team and VaSID First Team All-State honors. Junior Lexie Barrier earned All-CAA Second Team honors before her season ended due to injury before postseason play.
His second season saw a continuation of the success he helped build, as O'Regan guided the Dukes to a 23-11 record and a second straight appearance in the WNIT Third Round. Sophomores Kamiah Smalls (First Team), Lexie Barrier (Second Team) and Kelly Koshuta (Third Team) were all named to All-CAA teams following the season.
In his first season as head coach, O'Regan led the Dukes to a 26-9 season, a fourth consecutive appearance in the CAA title game and a third-round appearance in the WNIT after taking down Radford and Virginia at the Convo.
He coached Precious Hall (JMU '17) to three player of the year nods, including the CAA's accolade, as she set the JMU single-game record (46pts at Rutgers) and single-season record for points (841), finishing her career with 2,347 points. He also guided Kamiah Smalls to a unanimous selection as CAA Rookie of the Year after tallying a JMU record six CAA Rookie of the Week nods.
O'Regan has coached on the JMU women's basketball sidelines for 15 seasons, returning to his alma mater for the 2007-08 season as an assistant coach. He continued to ascend the Dukes' coaching ranks, being elevated to associate head coach in 2012 under JMU hall of fame coach Kenny Brooks.
"I'm so thankful for this incredible opportunity to build on the established success of the JMU women's basketball program," O'Regan said. "To be the head coach of a team of this caliber has always been a dream of mine. I'm thrilled to continue to work with this group of players and to give the fans another exciting season. I want to thank Jeff Bourne for trusting me with this program and of course Kenny Brooks for helping me get to where I am as a coach today."
Before becoming head coach, O'Regan served as the primary guards coach and handled scheduling. He had also been a primary coach for post players, the junior-college transfer recruiter and community relations coordinator.
In O'Regan's nine seasons at JMU as an assistant, the Dukes averaged over 26 wins per year and advanced to postseason play all nine years. JMU teams have a record of 239-70, a winning percentage of .773, during his tenure (2007-16).
The Dukes have advanced to the postseason all 10 years O'Regan has been on staff with five trips to the NCAA Tournament. In 2014, JMU won its first tournament game since 1991 by defeating sixth-seeded Gonzaga 72-63 in the first round.
In 2015-16, JMU captured its third consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship and fifth overall with O'Regan on the bench. The Dukes have also featured five CAA Players of the Year, all of whom were guards, over the last nine years.
As a team in 2016, the Dukes finished the regular season and league tournament on a 20-game win streak as they won their third consecutive CAA regular-season and tournament titles. JMU began receiving votes in the final regular-season polls and entered the NCAA tournament with the top 3-point field-goal defense in the country.
The 2015 season saw JMU ranked as high as No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 21 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The 2014 JMU squad won the first NCAA tournament game since 1991, a 72-63 victory over No. 6 Gonzaga in the round of 64. The 2012 team advanced to the WNIT championship game, and the 2013 team advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals.
O'Regan was recognized as one of the top assistants in mid-major conferences, as Jason Belzer of CollegeInsider.com rated him number 11 on his 2011-12 list of the nation's top 25 assistant coaches in the mid-majors. Criteria used by Belzer included longevity with the program, overall program success while on staff, total years as an assistant, head coaching experience, recruiting, reputation amongst peers, and future potential. Belzer created the list "to honor those assistants who have done great work throughout their careers and bring something truly special to a staff." He wrote that "O'Regan has been integral to the Dukes' consistent success."
A JMU alum, O'Regan got his start in coaching as a student manager for the Dukes' men's basketball program and was a three-year head manager before graduating in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and concentration in sports management.
After graduation, he went to Evansville to be the men's basketball director of operations before moving into an assistant coaching position from 2005-07.
A native of Montpelier, Vt., O'Regan is married to the former Cara Campo, who is the Vice President of Marketing at a Boston-based firm. The two are parents to a son, Liam, born in October 2009, and a daughter, Addison Susan, born in May 2013.
| The Sean O'Regan File |
|---|
| Alma Mater | James Madison '03 |
| Wife | Cara (Campo) O'Regan |
| Children | Liam and Addison Susan |
| Coaching Experience |
|---|
| 2007-16 | Assistant Coach, James Madison |
| 2016-present | Head Coach, James Madison |
| O'Regan Year-by-Year |
|---|
| All-Time Record | 210-81 (.722) - Nine Seasons |
| 2016-17 | 26-7 (15-3 CAA) | WNIT Third Round |
| 2017-18 | 23-11 (16-2 CAA) | CAA Regular Season Champs; WNIT Third Round |
| 2018-19 | 29-6 (17-1 CAA) | CAA Regular Season Champs; WNIT Semifinals |
| 2019-20 | 25-4 (16-2 CAA) | CAA Regular Season Champs; Postseason canceled due to COVID-19 |
| 2020-21 | 14-10 (9-6 CAA) | *sat out two conference games due to COVID-19 |
| 2021-22 | 14-15 (10-8 CAA) | ineligible for postseason play due to conference realignment |
| 2022-23 | 26-8 (13-5 SBC) | NCAA First Round |
| 2023-24 | 23-12 (13-5 SBC) | WBIT First Round |
| 2024-25 | 30-6 (18-0 SBC) | WBIT Quarterfinals |
| O'Regan Postseason, Team and Player Awards as a Head Coach |
|---|
| NCAA Berths | 1 (2023) |
| WBIT Berths | 2 (2024, 2025) |
| WNIT Berths | 3 (2017, 2018, 2019) |
| Sun Belt Player of the Year | 2 (2023, 2025) |
| Sun Belt Sixth Woman of the Year | 2 (2023, 2025) |
| Sun Belt All-Conference | 6 |
| Sun Belt All-Tournament Team | 4 |
| CAA Player of the Year | 2 (2017, 2020) |
| CAA Defensive Player of the Year | 2 (2017, 2020) |
| CAA Sixth Player of the Year | 1 (2019) |
| CAA Rookie of the Year | 3 (2016, 2020, 2021) |
| CAA All-Conference | 13 |
| CAA All-Defensive | 2 |
| CAA All-Rookie | 6 |
| CAA All-Tournament Team | 3 |
| VaSID All-State | 7 |
| ECAC Player of the Year | 1 (2017) |
| ECAC All-Star | 4 |
| Lisa Leslie Award Preseason Watch List | 1 (2019) |
| Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List | 1 (2017) |
| WNBA Draft | 1 (Kamiah Small, 2020) |
Head Coach Sean O'Regan | Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Media Day
Tuesday, October 21
JMU Women's Basketball | Oh, Don't You Wanna Go 18-0?
Saturday, May 10
JMU Women's Basketball | Coach O'Regan Postgame Presser vs. Belmont - March 27, 2025
Tuesday, April 01
JMU Women's Basketball | The Season Continues | Dukes Defeat Davidson in WBIT
Sunday, March 23
