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James Madison University

James Madison University Athletics
Godwin 206A (261 Bluestone Dr.) / MSC 2301 Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Division 1 Virginia Northeast
Public Large National competitor

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Shelley Klaes

A former two-time All-American at James Madison University, Shelley Klaes returned home to lead her alma mater in 2007 and completed her 17th season as head coach in 2023.


Klaes has amassed a career 267-128 (.676) record, including a 217-93 (.700) mark in Harrisonburg.


The 2018 JMU lacrosse season was one for the record books, as she guided the Dukes to their first national championship in program history with a school-record and CAA-record 22-1 overall record.


The Dukes won their second straight conference championship and earned the No. 3 overall seed for the NCAA Championship – a program best. After notching wins at home against Virginia and sixth-seeded Florida, JMU upended second-seeded North Carolina before holding off fourth-seeded Boston College 16-15 to win the national title.


She's guided JMU to 10 NCAA Championship appearances, including eight straight years the championship has been held between the 2015 and 2023 seasons. She also won four consecutive CAA Coach of the Year awards from 2016 to 2019, along with the American Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year in 2023.


In the 2023 season, JMU won its second-most games in program history and stayed in the top 10 nationally from March through the end of the season, finishing with a 19-3 record and the third NCAA championship quarterfinal appearance with Klaes as head coach. The season featured a 17-game winning streak, the longest in program history along with an outright American Athletic Conference regular season championship, in which the Dukes out-scored conference opponents by 61 goals across six games. Klaes helped guide the third-best scoring defense in the country (7.86) while also wrapping up the season ninth in clearing percentage (.918), tied for third in free-position percentage (.541), 15th in save percentage (.477), 13th in scoring margin (+5.50) and 14th in turnovers per game (12.50). Klaes' victory over UConn on Feb. 18 marked her 200th leading the Dukes.


In her 16th season at the helm, Klaes guided JMU to a seventh-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022, as the Dukes reached via an at-large bid. The Dukes rode an 11-game winning streak beginning in March to a 14-5 overall record, reaching the second round of the postseason. Klaes’ squad ranked top-20 nationally in five statistical categories – eighth in shot percentage (.490), ninth in free-position percentage (.511), 11th in scoring defense, 17th in assists per game (6.89) and 17th in scoring margin (4.16). Seven Dukes were named All-CAA while three took both major conference awards and All-American honors.


Klaes and JMU made CAA history in 2021, as the Dukes became the first team in league history to win four straight conference championships, doing so in overtime and come-from-behind fashion. JMU capped off the 2021 campaign with a 12-5 record and berth in the second round of the NCAA Championship. JMU ranked in the top 20 nationally in four categories, including fifth in scoring defense (8.53), seventh in save percentage (.500), 17th in assists (7.06) and 20th in turnovers (13.53).


The 2020 season was off to a solid start, as JMU was 5-1 with five consecutive wins before the season was suddenly canceled due to COVID-19. During the shortened campaign, JMU ranked in the top 20 nationally in five categories, including seventh in save percentage (.515), ninth in draw-control percentage (.609), 10th in scoring defense (8.33), 12th in clearing percentage (.906) and 17th in caused turnovers (10.5).


In 2019, she guided the Dukes to their third straight conference championship, becoming just the second team in league history to achieve the feat. JMU finished 16-4 on the year, winning the outright CAA regular-season title for the fourth straight campaign. Two players were named All-Americans in Caroline Sdanowich and Molly Dougherty, who were also voted CAA Defensive Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year.


Following JMU's 2018 title win, Klaes was named the IWLCA Division I National Coach of the Year and ILWomen Division I Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. She additionally garnered IWLCA South Region Coach of the Year laurels.


After the regular season, in which the Dukes won the CAA outright for the second straight year, she was named CAA Coach of the Year for the third straight season, as the Dukes held a 16-1 record – the most wins in any JMU regular season.


She coached four players to All-America status, including Tewaaraton Award finalist Kristen Gaudian, who was an IL Media First Team All-America after being voted CAA Player of the Year. Tewaaraton nominee Haley Warden was a Second Team All-American and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Elena Romesburg earned Third Team All-America honors and Rebecca Tooker was an Honorable Mention selection.


JMU finished 2018 setting program records in scoring (362), assists (156), points (518), free-position goals (73) and draw controls (330). The Dukes set a team record with four 40-goal scorers in the same season – Kristen Gaudian (80), Elena Romesburg (66), Hanna Haven (47) and Haley Warden (46).


In 2017, Klaes became the program's all-time leader in wins, surpassing JMU Hall of Famer Dee McDonough with her 119th win at JMU on Feb. 25, 2017 in a 15-4 victory against High Point.


During her career, she has led JMU to seven CAA championships and her teams have played in 10 of 11 CAA championship games from 2010 to 2021.


The Dukes won the tournament title in 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 while dropping two of the four losses by a single goal, which included an overtime loss to top-seeded Towson in 2014.


A six-time CAA Coach of the Year, Klaes garnered the award in four straight years (2016-19) after guiding JMU to a 5-1 conference records in 2016 and 2017 and a perfect 6-0 mark in both 2018 and 2019.


The 2019 campaign saw her lead JMU to a program-record third straight CAA Championship crown, a fifth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance and a 16-4 overall record. The Dukes cruised through conference play with an unblemished CAA mark for the second straight season as she became the league's most decorated women's lacrosse coach with her record sixth CAA Coach of the Year award - the fifth during her time at JMU.


She coached a pair of major award winners in CAA Defensive Player of the Year Caroline Sdanowich and Goalkeeper of the Year Molly Dougherty while seven players earned all-conference status and two more were all-rookie honorees. Following the season, three players were named IWLCA All-South Region in Sdanowich, Dougherty and Maddie McDaniel. Sdanowich was also a top-25 nominee for the Tewaaraton Award.


JMU captured the CAA tournament title with double-digit wins against Elon and Hofstra, marking the first time the program had won three straight tournaments. It was also just the second time a team from the CAA claimed three straight. The Dukes notched nationally-ranked wins at #14 Virginia Tech and at #19 Penn State and in 15 of its 16 wins, held opponents to nine goals or less.


The 2017 season saw JMU finish 14-7 overall after claiming the CAA Championship and advancing to the NCAA Championship second round. The Dukes beat 18th-ranked Louisville in the first round in University Park, Pa., to mark the program's first NCAA win since 2010.


In addition to her winning CAA Coach of the Year for the second straight year in 2017, she also coached Haley Warden to All-America honors. Warden, the 2017 CAA Player of the Year, was named Second Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse and a Third-Team selection by the IWLCA. A total of seven players were named All-CAA that year.


In 2016, JMU earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship for only the fourth time in program history and first since 2000. The Dukes played in lacrosse's first NCAA tournament game on the West Coast against Stanford inside the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.She coached seven players to All-CAA status in 2016, which included Jaci Gordon being named CAA Player of the Year.


One of her most successful seasons in Harrisonburg came back in 2010 when she led Madison to the former program-record 17 wins and guided the Dukes to the NCAA Quarterfinals with a win over Stanford before falling to Syracuse. During that season, JMU reached as high as No. 7 in the nation while earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.


Following the 2010 season, Klaes was named National Coach of the Year by womenslacrosse.com. She also added CAA Coach of the Year to the list of accolades before coaching the South Team in the North-South All-Star Game. Additionally, she was voted Virginia Coach of the Year by Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) in 2010 and followed the honor with another Coach of the Year honor in 2011 from VaSID.


In her first season at JMU in 2007, she led the Dukes to as high as No. 5 in the nation while being a mainstay in the national polls every week of the season. Madison was also ranked as high as No. 5 in 2008 and No. 16 in 2009 before the record-breaking year in 2010. In 2011, Madison finished the season ranked No. 11 in the nation while taking the CAA Tournament title before dropping a tough 11-10 decision to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.


In 15 years at JMU, the Dukes have only suffered two losing seasons in 2008 and 2009.


In 2010, senior midfielder Kim Griffin was among 25 nominees for the Tewaaraton Award, which honor's the nation's top player. In 2011 and 2013, Casey Ancarrow was a Tewarraton Award nominee.


Prior to returning to Harrisonburg, Klaes spent five seasons at Hofstra from 2002-06. She previously served as an assistant coach with the Pride before assuming the head coaching role. The 2005 CAA Coach of the Year compiled an overall record of 50-35 in five seasons at Hofstra. The Pride was CAA runner-up in 2005 and 2006 and lost to top-seeded JMU in the 2006 league championship game.


Her 2005 Hofstra squad achieved a program-best No. 7 national ranking. The team's 14 victories in 2005 were the second-highest total in school history.


In Klaes' first season in Hempstead, N.Y., she led the Pride to a 9-8 record and a berth in the CAA Tournament. The 2003 edition of the Pride finished with an 8-8 mark and advanced to the CAA Semifinals. In 2004, Hofstra was ranked No. 20 in the final national poll after compiling an 8-8 record.


During Klaes' three seasons (1999-2001) as a Hofstra assistant, she was part of the most-successful season in school history. In 2001, the Pride compiled a 16-3 overall record and a 6-0 mark in America East play, won the America East championship and played in the NCAA Tournament.


Prior to her time at Hofstra, Klaes spent the 1998 season as an assistant at JMU. During the season, JMU went 11-8, were CAA runners-up and went to the NCAA Quarterfinals.


Klaes' teams have consistently achieved in the classroom. Her 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 JMU teams were named Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Squads, a recognition given to teams with a collective grade-point average of 3.0 or above. Since 2004, 26 of her players have won IWLCA All-Academic individual recognition.


As a player at JMU, Klaes was co-captain of the 1997 squad that won the CAA Tournament and a member of two (1995 and 1997) NCAA Tournament teams. During her JMU career, the Dukes compiled an overall record of 42-28 and tied a school record with 13 wins in 1997.


In her senior season in 1997, Klaes set school records for career assists (71), goals by a senior (48) and season points (71) and tied the JMU season record for game-winning goals (4). That year, she ranked 11th in points per game average (3.94) and 20th in assists per game average (1.28) in NCAA Division I.


Klaes earned First Team All-America (Brine/Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association) recognition as a senior and was a second-team selection as a junior (1996). She was also a two-time All-South Region (1996, 1997) and All-CAA (1996, 1997) choice. As a senior in 1997, she played in the North-South Senior All-Star Game, was named to the U.S. Women’s Lacrosse Association All-America Team and was voted the Dukes’ Most Valuable Player. She currently ranks in the top 12 in three JMU career categories, including fifth in assists (71), ninth in points (196) and 12th in goals (125).


During her four years as a JMU player, the Dukes were never ranked lower than 10th in the national coaches’ poll and were ranked as high as third nationally in 1995 and 1997.


In 2010, her playing accomplishments were honored as she was first inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Greater Baltimore chapter of US Lacrosse, then inducted into the JMU Athletic Hall of Fame. On Dec. 2, 2017, Klaes was enshrined into the Virginia Lacrosse Hall of Fame, alongside former JMU star Kelly (Berger) Rabil.


A native of Glen Arm, Md., Klaes earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science from JMU in 1997. She holds a master's degree in physical education from Hofstra.


Her sister, Laura Klaes Tourge, is a 1995 JMU graduate. Laura is a former lacrosse player and was a two-year starter on defense for the Dukes.


Klaes has two children, Otis Andrew, born in November 2008, and Maya Ann, born in February 2012.

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Kateri Linville

Kateri Linville was named as associate head coach with the James Madison women's lacrosse program on October 28, 2021. In her role, she serves as the program’s defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. She brings championship coaching experience in three different conferences, national championships, and international coaching to JMU.


She helped JMU to its best defensive season under her guidance in 2023, marking a 7.86 scoring defense and holding 17 of 22 opponents to single-digit goals. Linville's defense featured a pair of All-Americans in Mariead Durkin and Rachel Matey, who respectively led the roster in caused turnovers and ground balls. Her defense limited opponent shots all year, allowing just 22.2 shots per game.


Linville marked her first season as Associate Head Coach in 2022, guiding the defense to high marks in the CAA and nationally in her third season overall at JMU. The defense was ranked 11th in scoring in Division I and was one of just 14 schools to give up fewer than 10 goals per game in the country. Mairead Durkin put up a record-setting season with 52 caused turnovers, the most in JMU history, earning her CAA and VaSID All-State Defensive Player of the Year. Linville’s defense also held opponents to a .297 free-position percentage, which equaled the second-lowest eight-meter mark in all of Division I. The season featured a signature win at No. 3 Maryland, in which JMU held a potent UMD offense to just two second-half goals in a 13-8 victory.


She was named associate head coach after assisting head coach Shelley Klaes reach a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament in 2021 with a record of 12-5. The 2021 season also included a fourth straight conference championship and the program's 500th win.


She also helps oversee the program's operating budget and was responsible for the team's equipment ordering. Linville manages practice and scout film while also directing the team's academic excellence program.


Administratively, Linville is part of the JMU Diversity & Inclusion Committee, where she anchors the group's book club to create a safe space to lean into the conversation and create allyship. She is also on the Employee Subcommittee where she explores and advances diversity and inclusion opportunities, resources and tools for the department of athletics staff.


Linville was recently named the IWLCA Coaches Education Committee Chair and also serves on the IWLCA Player of the Week committee, helping determine who receives national weekly honors throughout the season.


She additionally is a member of the IWLCA Coaches Continuing Education Committee, which is a platform for networking, career planning, professional development, resources and tools, diversity and inclusion advancement and support. In that role she supported IWLCA Deep Dive with the University of North Carolina and developed curriculum and recruited speakers for the IWLCA Students of Color Symposium.


Linville is no stranger to JMU and the Colonial Athletic Association, having served the previous nine seasons as the head coach at Delaware (2011-19). During her time at her alma mater, she led the Blue Hens to a 79-75 record and 28-28 mark in league play, advancing to the CAA Championship semifinals on four occasions.


In her second season with the Dukes, redshirt senior Emma Johnson was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the third straight JMU student-athlete to win the league's top defensive honor. Johnson was also named VaSID Defensive Player of the Year while Molly Dougherty was named VaSID Player of the Year. Dougherty and Johnson also received All-American recognition in 2021.


She coached two defensive Dukes who earned Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-America status in Molly Dougherty and Rachel Matey in her first season as assistant coach.


Off the field, the team achieved a program-best 3.2 combined GPA in fall 2021, with 20 student-athletes being honored on the CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. She was helpful in the nomination efforts of Halle Duenkel for the Yeardley Reynolds Love Unsung Hero Award in 2020, and the Dukes finished top 10 nationally for service efforts through Helper Helper. Student-athletes under Linville's guidance have won IWLCA community service awards at JMU, Delaware, and Notre Dame.


Linville's gritty, 'get the ball' defensive mentality has helped her teams consistently finish near the top of the rankings in caused turnovers, ground balls, and goals against average. In her nine seasons at Delaware, the program produced consistent success on the defensive side of the ball, ranking in the top 25 in scoring defense and top 30 in caused turnovers on six occasions. The Blue Hens were top 15 in scoring defense four times under Linville, including a three-year stretch in which they were fourth in 2015, 13th in 2016 and seventh in 2017.


During her time in Newark, she produced 44 all-conference honorees including 16 First Team All-CAA selections, and five athletes who earned IWLCA All-Region awards. Linville’s tenure produced Delaware’s first CAA Defensive Player of the Year in Erin Wein, who garnered the award in 2016. Caitlin McCartney was 2012 Rookie of the Year and earned First Team All-CAA honors all four years. Casey Lyons was also a three-time First Team selection.


Linville guided Delaware to four CAA Championship appearances in a five-year span, in which it matched up with JMU in each of those outings. The Blue Hens had five winning seasons under Linville’s tutelage and registered four consecutive double-digit winning seasons (2013-16). The 2016 season saw UD open with an 8-1 record, it’s best start to a season since the turn of the century, while also ranking third nationally with the third-fewest turnovers per game.


Prior to her return to Delaware, she spent five years as an assistant coach at Notre Dame (2006-10), working closely with the defensive unit while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Linville helped the Fighting Irish to four NCAA Championship appearances, including three straight over her final three seasons. Her run with the program was highlighted by one of college lacrosse’s biggest turnarounds, in which they advanced to their first and only national semifinals in 2006 in her first season while winning 12 more games than the season before. Notre Dame also won the 2009 Big East Tournament title and reached the NCAA quarterfinals that same season.


Linville is credited with mentoring the Irish’s first two defensive players to earn IWCLA First Team All-America laurels, with Shannon Burke gaining the accolade in 2009 and Jackie Doherty taking home the honor a year later. A total of eight players received postseason recognition during her five-year stint.


Before Notre Dame, Linville joined the college ranks at Virginia, where she was a volunteer assistant under Julie Myers from 2004-05 while earning her master’s degree. She was part of the Cavaliers’ 2004 ACC and NCAA titles and helped the team make a return trip to the national championship game the next year.


Linville began her coaching career in 2002 as a camp director and clinician for the German Club Lacrosse team. The following year, she served as volunteer assistant at her high school alma mater, Moorestown High School in New Jersey, helping the team win the state championship and rank second nationally.


In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Linville was an assistant coach for the Canadian Lacrosse Association Under 19 National Team from 2009-11, helping the team win the bronze medal at the 2011 FIL U-19 World Championship in Hanover, Germany.


She also served on the NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse regional advisory committee and IWLCA Regional All-American committee from 2011-14.


Linville is a 2003 graduate of Delaware, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science. She also graduated with a master’s of education degree in sport and exercise psychology from Virginia in 2007.


As a student-athlete at Delaware, Linville was a three-year letter winner in the midfield. She was part of UD’s 2000 NCAA tournament team and helped the team to America East runner-up finishes in both 2000 and 2001. Linville was co-captain as a senior in 2003 and was an IWLCA Academic Honor Roll recipient.

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