James Madison University

=== Greek life ===

=== Greek life ===

James Madison University is home to 20 fraternities and 12 sororities with an active membership of over 4,800 students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Fraternity & Sorority Life |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osl/fsl/about/index.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref> Greek life at JMU is organized under three governing councils: the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council, and the Inter-Cultural Greek Council (ICGC), which represent multicultural and historically Black Greek-letter organizations respectively. Greek life was formally brought to campus in spring of 1939 with the chartering of [[Sigma Sigma Sigma]] and [[Alpha Sigma Alpha]]. As of 2025, over 20% of the undergraduate population participates in Greek life, with membership remaining stable despite national scrutiny of Greek systems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Information for Parents and Family |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osl/fsl/parents-family/index.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref>JMU is home to a number of multicultural and historically Black fraternities and sororities, including chapters of [[Alpha Phi Alpha]], [[Alpha Kappa Alpha]], [[Lambda Upsilon Lambda]], and [[Sigma Iota Alpha]], among others. Greek organizations at JMU collectively raise hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for philanthropic causes, including Relay for Life, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and local Harrisonburg charities. A monument dedicated to the members of the Inter-Cultural Greek Council was built in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.breezejmu.org/news/cmss-honors-greek-multicultural-organizations-in-new-ssc-construction-project/article_63c39cf8-217f-11ec-8045-bb08b38333e3.html|title=CMSS honors Greek multicultural organizations in new SSC construction project|first=Alex Baker &#124; contributing|last=writer|website=The Breeze|date=September 30, 2021|access-date=June 9, 2022|archive-date=June 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607014617/https://www.breezejmu.org/news/cmss-honors-greek-multicultural-organizations-in-new-ssc-construction-project/article_63c39cf8-217f-11ec-8045-bb08b38333e3.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

James Madison University is home to 20 fraternities and 12 sororities with an active membership of over 4,800 students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Fraternity & Sorority Life |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osl/fsl/about/index.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref> Greek life at JMU is organized under three governing councils: the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council, and the Inter-Cultural Greek Council (ICGC), which represent multicultural and historically Black Greek-letter organizations respectively. Greek life was formally brought to campus in spring of 1939 with the chartering of [[Sigma Sigma Sigma]] and [[Alpha Sigma Alpha]]. As of 2025, over 20% of the undergraduate population participates in Greek life, with membership remaining stable despite national scrutiny of Greek systems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Information for Parents and Family |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osl/fsl/parents-family/index.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref>

Over the years, several JMU Greek chapters have lost university recognition or faced serious sanctions due to hazing, alcohol abuse, and other misconduct.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unrecognized Organizations |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osl/fsl/potential-members/unrecognized-organizations.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |last=Willett |first=Mason |date=2025-01-25 |title=Lawsuit against fraternity claims hazing, drug use caused car wreck that killed three JMU students |url=https://www.whsv.com/2025/01/25/lawsuit-against-fraternity-claims-haizing-drug-use-caused-car-wreck-that-killed-three-jmu-students/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=WHSV |language=en}}</ref> The university’s Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices routinely disciplines chapters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OSARP: Organizational Records |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osarp/org-records.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref>

Greek life at James Madison University has expanded steadily since its founding in 1939. [[Sigma Nu]], chartered in 1974, is the oldest continuously operating fraternity on campus and remains one of the university’s largest fraternities, known for its active presence in student leadership and philanthropy. The newest addition to JMU’s Greek community is the Eta Nu chapter of Gamma Phi Beta, which was officially installed in December 2014.

In recent years, the university has implemented stricter policies on new member education and risk management, including expanded hazing prevention programs and mandatory educational training for all Greek members. Over the years, several JMU Greek chapters have lost university recognition or faced serious sanctions due to hazing, alcohol abuse, and other misconduct. In the last decade alone, [[Alpha Tau Omega]], [[Sigma Chi]], [[Delta Chi]], and [[Phi Delta Theta]] were removed or suspended following investigations into ritual violations and risk management failures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unrecognized Organizations |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osl/fsl/potential-members/unrecognized-organizations.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref> More recently, the Pi Beta Chi fraternity has faced a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that a hazing and drug‑fueled recruitment event in West Virginia in February 2023 resulted in a fatal car crash that killed three students; the lawsuit claims reckless fraternity behavior caused the deaths.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Willett |first=Mason |date=2025-01-25 |title=Lawsuit against fraternity claims hazing, drug use caused car wreck that killed three JMU students |url=https://www.whsv.com/2025/01/25/lawsuit-against-fraternity-claims-haizing-drug-use-caused-car-wreck-that-killed-three-jmu-students/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=WHSV |language=en}}</ref> The university’s Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices maintains a policy of no tolerance toward hazing and alcohol misuse, and routinely disciplines chapters—most recently [[Alpha Sigma Tau]], [[Pi Kappa Alpha]], [[Alpha Phi]], [[Tau Kappa Epsilon]], and [[Alpha Epsilon Pi]] during spring 2025—for similar violations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OSARP: Organizational Records |url=https://www.jmu.edu/osarp/org-records.shtml |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=www.jmu.edu |language=en}}</ref>

Over its history, some Greek organizations have been kicked off of campus as a result of alleged hazing and behavioral violations. As of 2025, the university does not recognize [[Alpha Tau Omega]] (now [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]]), [[Delta Chi]] (also known as Pi Beta Chi and the Cross Keys Society), [[Sigma Chi]] (also known as Iota Chi and Sigma Iota Chi), and [[Phi Delta Theta]]. Other organizations that have been kicked off of campus in the past and include [[Chi Phi]] (kicked off in fall of 2000). Other Greek organizations have left campus for other reasons including [[Delta Gamma]] (charter withdrawn in 2022), [[Zeta Beta Tau]], [[Sigma Pi]], [[Alpha Chi Omega]] (chartered in March 1987 and withdrawn in April 1996), and [[Theta Sigma Upsilon]] (merged into [[Alpha Gamma Delta]] in 1959 and went inactive in March 1990).

=== Music ===

=== Music ===

The JMU men's and women's club soccer teams are two of the most decorated club organizations in JMU school history.<ref>https://www.jmu.edu/recreation/sports/sport-clubs/clubs/menssoccer.shtml</ref>

The JMU men's and women's club soccer teams are two of the most decorated club organizations in JMU school history.<ref>https://www.jmu.edu/recreation/sports/sport-clubs/clubs/menssoccer.shtml</ref>

The JMU men's [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate]] team, the Flying Hellfish, was founded in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hellfishultimate.weebly.com/about-the-hellfish.html|title=about the hellfish|website=hellfish ultimate|access-date=March 14, 2016|archive-date=March 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315034514/http://hellfishultimate.weebly.com/about-the-hellfish.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The team is named after the Simpsons episode 22, season 7, "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'"<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|url=http://skydmagazine.com/2013/02/the-making-of-the-hellfish-bonanza/| last=Neeley | first=Jonathan | date=February 19, 2013|title=The making of the Hellfish Bonanza |magazine=Skyd Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=March 14, 2016|archive-date=March 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315035057/http://skydmagazine.com/2013/02/the-making-of-the-hellfish-bonanza/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Lynch|first=Jeffrey|title=Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'|date=April 28, 1996|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0778451/|access-date=March 14, 2016|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306042208/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0778451/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 2005, the team has hosted an annual tournament known as "The Hellfish Bonanza," which attracts between 12 and 16 teams from across the east coast.<ref name=":1" /> Several current and former Hellfish play Ultimate professionally for [[Major League Ultimate|Major League Ultimate's]] Washington DC Current and the [[American Ultimate Disc League]]'s [[DC Breeze]].{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

The JMU men's [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate]] team, the Flying Hellfish, was founded in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hellfishultimate.weebly.com/about-the-hellfish.html|title=about the hellfish|website=hellfish ultimate|access-date=March 14, 2016|archive-date=March 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315034514/http://hellfishultimate.weebly.com/about-the-hellfish.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The team is named after the Simpsons episode 22, season 7, "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'"<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|url=http://skydmagazine.com/2013/02/the-making-of-the-hellfish-bonanza/| last=Neeley | first=Jonathan | date=February 19, 2013|title=The making of the Hellfish Bonanza |magazine=Skyd Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=March 14, 2016|archive-date=March 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315035057/http://skydmagazine.com/2013/02/the-making-of-the-hellfish-bonanza/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Lynch|first=Jeffrey|title=Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'|date=April 28, 1996|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0778451/|access-date=March 14, 2016|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306042208/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0778451/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 2005, the team has hosted an annual tournament known as "The Hellfish Bonanza," which attracts between 12 and 16 teams from across the east coast.<ref name=":1" />

== Athletics ==

== Athletics ==

=== Music ===

=== Music ===

* [[Everything (band)|Everything]], '90s rock band

* [[Everything (band)|Everything]], '90s rock band

* [[Halestorm|Joe Hottinger]], musician ([[Halestorm]])

* [[Halestorm|Joe Hottinger]], musician

* [[Keith Howland]], musician ([[Chicago (band)|Chicago]])

* [[Keith Howland]], musician

* [[Illiterate Light]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Greenberg |first=Rudi |date=January 22, 2020 |title=Illiterate Light and its very specific sound as a band: Massive |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/music/illiterate-light-and-its-very-specific-sound-as-a-band-massive/2020/01/17/b6e1deba-3872-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html |access-date=September 10, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> rock band

* [[Illiterate Light]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Greenberg |first=Rudi |date=January 22, 2020 |title=Illiterate Light and its very specific sound as a band: Massive |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/music/illiterate-light-and-its-very-specific-sound-as-a-band-massive/2020/01/17/b6e1deba-3872-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html |access-date=September 10, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> rock band

* [[Leroi Moore]], musician ([[Dave Matthews Band]])

* [[Leroi Moore]], musician

* [[Old Dominion (band)|Old Dominion]], members Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi, country musicians and songwriters

* [[Old Dominion (band)|Old Dominion]], members Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi, country musicians and songwriters

* [[Nate Smith (musician)|Nate Smith]], drummer, songwriter, producer

* [[Nate Smith (musician)|Nate Smith]], drummer, songwriter, producer