Adam Wheatcroft (2004) - JMU Athletics Hall of Fame - James Madison University Athletics

Adam Wheatcroft

Induction:
2004
Class:
2004

Adam Wheatcroft was the most accomplished archer in the history of the JMU program. In 2002 he won the compound bow World Championship in individual competition and led the U.S. Team that won the gold medal at the World University Games in Thailand. That was his third U.S. World Team competition and the third time he won the gold medal in the individual competition and led his team to the gold in the team competition. He also won the World Junior Championship in both individual and team competition in 1998 and 2000 and was a member of the U.S. Junior Archery Team from 1997-2000. A three-time collegiate All-America (2001, 2002, 2003) and 2003 JMU team captain, he won the U.S. intercollegiate championship as a JMU freshman in 2001 and as a junior in 2003. He led the JMU's men's compound team to the national team championship in 2001. He was a member of the U.S. National Team in 2001 and 2002 and won the U.S. Open in 2001.

At the time of his induction, Wheatcroft held 11 national records. He broke six junior world record from 1997-2000, and two of those records were still standing at the time of his induction. He won the National Archery Association national indoor championship in 2000 and 2001, won the National Field Archery Association indoor championship in 2000 and won four North Region championships and nine Michigan state championships.

In his final season of competition in 2003 he also won tournament championships at the Atlantic Classic, New York Indoor, New Jersey Indoor and Virginia State Indoor tournaments and was voted the men's team's most outstanding archer. He led the Dukes' men's compound and mixed compound teams to second place at the 2003 U.S. Intercollegiate Championships. The Clarkston, Mich., native was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2003, shortly after he won the U.S. intercollegiate championship in May, and he passed away on Oct. 28, 2003.