JMU to Celebrate Championship Legacy at Nov. 22 Football Game

James Madison Athletics will honor a number of champions during the 2014 season finale against Elon on November 22nd. A purple and gold legacy will be on full display as many of the high points throughout the history of JMU will be recognized during the game, starting with Challice McMillin, the first football coach and the founder of the Track and Field program. The football program will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its 2004 National Championship team and the JMU Hall of Fame will be inducting its newest class of members, which includes the 1994 field hockey championship squad.

A 1994 inductee into the JMU Athletics Hall of Fame, McMillin was a two-sport coach at Madison, starting both the football and track and field programs, coaching the latter for four years. He spent 14 years as JMU's football head coach, building a program and then rebuilding it when the university began awarding scholarships. He earned eight Coach of the Year awards from various organizations during his coaching stint. McMillin had a 64-52-1 JMU record, and several of his former players have had distinguished professional football careers, including Gary Clark, Charles Haley and Scott Norwood.

JMU will also welcome back the members of the 2004 Division I-AA National Championship football team. After a 9-2 regular season, the Dukes made a memorable playoff run winning three consecutive games on the road to earn the chance to play for the National Championship. The playoff run started on the road at Lehigh as the Dukes held on for a tight 14-13 victory against the Mountain Hawks. The Dukes then went to Greenville, South Carolina, and with 5:11 on the clock and trailing 13-7, the Dukes mounted a 12-play, 74-yard drive ending in a 1-yard plunge by Raymond Hines to seal the 14-13 victory. The magic then continued in Williamsburg, Virginia. William and Mary had defeated JMU 27-24 in Harrisonburg a month earlier on a last-minute field goal, but the Dukes jumped out to a 21-0 lead, weathered a Tribe comeback attempt and pulled away for the 48-34 triumph behind three Justin Rascati touchdown passes. The win put the Dukes in the National Championship, where they took on the Grizzlies of Montana. A nine-play, 72-yard drive gave the Dukes the lead late in the third quarter and a 16-play, 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter clinched the 31-21 victory for JMU. The team will be recognized on the field during the Nov. 22 Elon game as well while also celebrating key moments and memories from the season.

The weekend will also feature the 2014 JMU Hall of Fame class. This year's class includes former student-athletes Gail Decker Wittman (lacrosse), Mike Fox (men's cross country/track and field), Delvin Joyce (football), Lisa Staedt Ojea (lacrosse) and the 1994 NCAA Champion field hockey team. This year marks the 20th anniversary of JMU's first team NCAA National Championship. JMU Field Hockey Coach Christy Morgan, who rejoined the program this year, guided the '94 team to a 16-2-1 overall record and became the first person in NCAA field hockey history to win a National Championship as a player and a coach.

JMU football will also be recognizing its senior class for outstanding contributions over the past four years in a pregame ceremony accompanied by family members. The game will also recognize the efforts and contributions of JMU faculty and staff. All James Madison University faculty and staff can obtain two complimentary tickets by contacting the ticket office. JMU will be inviting participants in youth football and youth cheerleading to the game as well as middle school and high school football players. They can obtain discounted and complimentary tickets by contacting the ticket office.

The Elon game is slated for a noon start on Saturday, November 22nd. Tickets are still available by visiting jmusports.com/tickets or calling (540) 568-3853.

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