JMU board votes to accept invite to American

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison University has been accepted for admission into the American Conference following a university application and a unanimous vote of the American CEOs. JMU will join as a full league member no later than July 1, 2028.

Following a formal written application from James Madison University, the American conducted a deliberate and comprehensive due diligence process to evaluate the institution, its alignment with the American and the long-term value of the relationship. The evaluation considered six primary areas: institutional and academic alignment; competitive strength and trajectory; institutional investment; financial sustainability and member value; brand, media value, fan engagement, and geography and operational fit. The conference used multiple sources of analysis, including a quantitative media-value study examining market characteristics, audience performance, fan engagement, competitive performance and other value drivers.

"The Board of Visitors voted unanimously to authorize the university to apply for and accept an invitation for membership in the American Conference, and we did so with tremendous confidence and excitement for this university's future. The American Conference is the right home for James Madison University, academically, competitively, and geographically. This conference is where our academic peers compete, they have a shared vision for the future, it's where our alumni live and work, and where our student-athletes will thrive," said Dave Rexrode '01, Rector of the James Madison University Board of Visitors. "The Madison Promise commits us to excellence and ambition, and this conference change reflects both. We are grateful for the Sun Belt Conference, its member institutions, and the championships and relationships we built together over the past few years. And as Rector of this board and as a proud JMU alumnus, I have never been more excited about the future of this university."

"We are honored that our request for membership in the American Conference has been accepted. I am grateful to Commissioner Tim Pernetti and the conferences' presidents and chancellors for their confidence in James Madison University," stated JMU President James Schmidt. "The American is home to member institutions who share our ambitious academic goals and our unwavering commitment to student success. Our student-athletes will compete in cities where JMU alumni are already rooted and future Dukes will fill the stands. With this move, we carry deep appreciation for the Sun Belt Conference and its member institutions. Their partnership helped position JMU for this moment, and we are proud of everything we built together."

The American Conference "full" membership includes 13 institutions: Alabama-Birmingham, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, Texas-San Antonio, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. In football, the conference also includes Army and Navy, while Wichita State does not sponsor football.

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