Lacrosse

"JMU lacrosse has always had a great tradition of coming back. Winning the National Championship commenced a new level of giving back as we established our Legacy Endowment. This past year the Diggin’ Dukes campaign ignited our giving spirit as the number of donors and the overall dollar amount given to the JMU Lacrosse Sport Program Fund catapulted to new heights.

 We are eager to engage our program, teammates, families, donors, friends and fans in the opportunity to participate in giving day, December 3rd. 

It’s time to show your purple passion and get competitive with us about growing our network and increasing our gifts. Let’s keep getting better together every day, every way! It’s the only way to position our program to attract talent and sustain our championship culture." - Head Coach Shelley Klaes

About Our Campaign

To continue showing the grit that comes from the lacrosse world in the mountains of Virginia, we need your support. As our program is chasing success at a national level, the need for the program to compete at a national level is expanding. 

As we navigate through conference realignment and aim to be the best in the American Athletic Conference, the demands of our travel have increased significantly. With longer trips and more frequent travel to southern schools, our student-athletes need every advantage to excel both on the field and in the classroom.

To achieve this, we must prioritize faster, more efficient travel, ensuring that our athletes have the time and energy to perform at their peak. This means more flights and streamlined logistics, which are essential for success. Additionally, the growth of our travel party is necessary to meet the increasing demands of modern sports—whether it's for in-game film review, maintaining the health and well-being of our athletes, or ensuring that they stay on track academically while on the road.

To reach and maintain an elite level, we need to push every facet of our program. This includes all of us taking an active role in supporting the growth and success of our team. We must give just a little more each year, whether it’s time, resources, or commitment, to ensure our athletes have what they need to perform at their highest level.

Together, we can continue to elevate this program and keep pushing for excellence both on and off the field.

About JMU Lacrosse

JMU Lacrosse’s goal is to compete for championships and showcase fantastic athletic team performances while developing strong future women leaders. We work together every day in practices, lifts, and competitions to push ourselves and each other to our limits in every aspect of life so we can display our program values of Passion, Pride, Relentlessness, Discipline, and One. 

Our lacrosse program is committed to excelling not only on the field but also in the classroom and in service to the Harrisonburg community and beyond. We take great pride in being recognized as an IWLCA Academic Squad Team each year, consistently achieving a team GPA of 3.2 or better. Individually, our student-athletes are reaching remarkable academic milestones, including graduating as valedictorians, earning Academic All-American honors, and being named to the IWLCA Academic Honors list for maintaining a 3.5 GPA in their junior and senior years.

Beyond academics, our team is dedicated to giving back to the community. We actively seek opportunities to serve and make a positive impact through several annual initiatives. Every year, we provide a brighter holiday season for families in need through the Salvation Army, run free youth clinics in Harrisonburg, and host community service games benefiting organizations such as One Love, Special Olympics, Morgan’s Message, and more. Additionally, our partnership with Spotswood Elementary School continues to be a key way we give back to the local community.

To learn more about our 33 current student-athletes and our program's history, visit here.

About Funds Raised During Diggin'Dukes

One hundred percent (100%) of funds raised in support of JMU Lacrosse during the Diggin’Dukes campaign immediately go to the JMU Lacrosse Sport Program Fund (restricted-use fund) and benefit the JMU Lacrosse student-athlete experience.

Sport program funds are restricted-use funds that can only be utilized by the individual sport program. 100% of gifts made to sport program funds go to the selected sport program and are 100% tax deductible. 

Funds are allocated at the discretion of our coaches and administration.