ATLANTA – The Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) is pleased to announce the addition of James Madison University and Old Dominion University to its membership in the sport of Women's Swimming and Diving this season. JMU and ODU are both back in the pool on Nov. 17-19, competing in the West Virginia Invitational. The Dukes and Monarchs become the 10th and 11th programs to join the CCSA in the sport of Women's Swimming & Diving and join current members Bellarmine, Campbell, FGCU, Gardner-Webb, Georgia Southern, Liberty, UNC Asheville, North Florida and Queens.
"The CCSA is excited for the additions of James Madison University and Old Dominion University." CCSA Commissioner Jerome Rodgers said, "Effective immediately, James Madison and Old Dominion will compete as CCSA members. We look forward to having them join us in Knoxville for our Women's Swimming and Diving Championship in February 2023."
JMU's historic program started in 1965 and holds a 254-145-4 all-time record. The Dukes won 11 Colonial Athletic Association (CCA) Championships, including four from 2018-21, before claiming the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) title in 2022. Dane Pedersen enters his ninth season leading the JMU Swimming and Dive program and has guided his team to a 55-16-1 overall record. Lindsey Hammar, Alexa Holloway, Lexi Lehman, Abi White and Maddie Yager all return to the JMU Dive lineup after finishing the 2021-22 season at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships while Jess Pryne and Madison Cottrell lead the JMU swimmers following their ECAC Swimmer of the Meet (Pryne) and 200-backstroke title (Cottrell) performances.
"The CCSA will be a great home for our swimming and diving program for the 2022-2023 season and will provide a high-level championship opportunity for our student-athletes," James Madison Athletic Director Jeff Bourne said. "We're grateful that the CCSA was willing to welcome us to their league, and I'd like to thank Commissioner Jerome Rodgers and the CCSA staff and member schools."
Old Dominion's Women's Swim team joins its male counterpart as CCSA members this season. The Monarchs' program is led by third-year head coach Jessica Miller Livsey. ODU finished sixth overall at the Conference USA Championship a season ago as Livsey helped Tara Enneking earn third-team all-conference honors in the 200 IM event. Enneking is joined by seven returning swimmers for the 2022-23 campaign. Marian Cheramy, Martina Ciriesi, Mary Dunworth, Summer Miln, Gabby Tosi, Peyton Turner and Laia Webb all return to the pool for Livsey's squad after wrapping up their 2021-22 seasons at the National Invitational Championship.
The Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) is a progressive NCAA Division I conference dedicated to the enhancement of opportunities for students. The conference was founded in 2008 to provide a championship opportunity for Swimming and Diving student-athletes and extended that opportunity with the addition of Beach Volleyball in the summer of 2015. The league's footprint extends into several states: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia. The CCSA is dedicated to the student-athletes who compete in its championships and their success in the classroom, in the field of competition, and life after graduation.