Mark Byington, the head men’s basketball coach at JMU, is leaving the university to take on a new role at Vanderbilt. During his tenure at JMU, Byington achieved an impressive 82-36 record and led the Dukes to the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24. They secured a victory over Wisconsin in the first round but were ultimately defeated by Duke in the second round.
In light of Byington’s departure, JMU will be receiving a $500,000 buyout. The university will now focus on finding a suitable replacement for Byington, as the transfer portal is open and players are looking for opportunities to play next season. Jeff Bourne, who is set to retire, will need to make one final hire to fill the head men’s basketball coach position.
Additionally, JMU is also faced with finding a new athletic director due to Bourne’s upcoming retirement. With President Jonathan Alger set to leave in the summer and the recent hiring of a new head football coach, Bob Chesney, following Curt Cignetti’s departure to Indiana, there has been a significant amount of transition within JMU’s athletic department.
