Diggin'Dukes

About Our Campaign

The future of JMU Women’s Soccer is brighter than ever, and we need your help to ensure our success. The reality is that pursuing excellence in soccer comes with financial challenges. While we are extremely grateful for the resources we have access to at JMU, it is vital that we can continue to fund equipment and travel expenses to enhance our student-athlete experience. 

Our women’s soccer team represents JMU with the highest level of class and dignity. By supporting our program, you are not only contributing to our success, but changing the landscape of JMU athletics as a whole. Thank you for your support, your consideration, and your belief in our sports program. Together, we can ensure that the future of our program is marked by a legacy of success.

What are some of the resources we need to enhance the experience of our student-athletes every day?

• VX Bras. VX bras are bio-data tracking tools that all players use during training and games to monitor player output. This tool provides us with a plethora of data regarding our athletes’ overall health and fitness throughout the season. Our yearly subscription cost to access this data is $3,000, which does not include the cost of buying new tracking units or vests.
• Spiideo. Spiideo is a camera and video analysis platform that players and coaches use daily for practice and game film. Using Spiideo has improved the cognitive understanding of our players, while preparing us to perform at a high level. The subscription to this platform costs $3,000, not including the cost of the camera.
• Wyscout. Wyscout is an opposition scouting and recruiting video analysis platform. Our team uses Wyscout to look at opponents’ capabilities to help us prepare for game day. Wyscout consolidates the data we need on specific players in an organized and analytical way. Our annual cost is $4,000.

As you can see, these platforms are used for team and self-improvement, to recruit new talent, and to win games. However, they are very expensive and we need your support to ensure that we can continue to utilize these resources as our program develops.

So, why should you support our program?

In order to become a more nationally recognized program, we must be able to compete with top programs. These top programs have extensive resources that allow them to gain a competitive edge on the field, as well as in recruiting. 

Our program not only develops elite student-athletes, but well-rounded individuals. Every day, we are taught valuable skills that translate into life outside of sport. Our team culture fosters teamwork, leadership, and resilience which contributes to our overall character development. Your support can provide our athletes with unique new opportunities that enhance this growth.

How Your Support Will IMPACT the JMU Women's Soccer Student-Athlete Experience

Your gift, of any amount, will help provide our team with top-tier resources to continue to achieve success on the field and in the classroom to benefit our student-athlete experience. Your support empowers our student-athletes to maximize our potential and unlock new levels of possibilities for each individual and as a team.

• 10 gifts of $400 support our team's annual Wyscout software access
• 10 gifts of $300 support our team's annual Spiideo software access
• 1 gift of $100 supports the annual fee for the VX sports bra for one student-athlete

Due to support from donors like you, we have had the great fortune to experience a new locker room, athletic training room, and visiting team locker room at our home field, Sentara Park. We now have the luxury of receiving athletic treatment at the field before and after games. These significant enhancements have drastically improved our routine and ability to focus on performing. We are also able to utilize our locker room during halftime to watch film and adjust to our opponents’ game plans. All of this was made possible by a JMU alum who funded this project and entirely changed our experience as student-athletes.

About JMU Women's Soccer

The JMU’s Women’s Soccer team is more than an elite athletic program, it is a community and a forever family that embraces friendship, culture, and acceptance. Throughout the years, our team has been touched by individuals from all walks of life who have been brought together by a shared passion, their immense love for the game.

Our team is continuously growing and evolving to become the best versions of ourselves. Every day, we uphold our commitment to being “uncommon” by choosing greatness in the face of adversity. From rigorous training sessions to late-night study sessions, we never shy away from doing the hard work. As a result, we have achieved both academic excellence and athletic dominance.

As we take on the Sun Belt Conference for the second year, our team will strive for nothing less than greatness on and off the field. In our first season, we set a new program shutout record, tallying 13 shutouts on the year. We also obtained a team GPA of 3.560. 

This year, we have already broken the school record for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. 

About Funds Raised During Diggin'Dukes

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

If our goal is achieved, funds that exceed our goal will go to support team operational needs during the 2023-2024 season. 

If we do not achieve our goal, funds raised during the Diggin’Dukes campaign will go to support team operational needs during the 2023-2024 season. 

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

Diggin'Dukes Leadership Team Members

Ellie Johnson, Lizzie Gillen & Brittany Munson (Rob Donnenwirth)