Completed Event: Baseball at Old Dominion on May 14, 2026 , Loss , 1, to, 5
BASE
Final
James Madison
1
at Old Dominion
5
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
JMU Wins 2025-26 TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge
5/21/2026 1:32:00 PM | Administration
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Athletics captured the TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge for the 2025-26 academic year, securing a 9.5-7.5 victory over Old Dominion after claiming the final event of the spring.
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The TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge is in its fourth year, and JMU has now won it outright in three seasons (2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26) while tying once (2024-25).
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Over the course of the four academic years, JMU holds a 48-32-3 overall record against ODU.
The Royal Rivalry title derives from the royalty implied in the "Dukes" and "Monarchs" nicknames and the presence of crowns in various logos of both schools. The two were previously conference foes in the Colonial Athletic Association from 1991 to 2013 when ODU exited for Conference USA.
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Matchups continued occasionally in some sports, but with both institutions joining the Sun Belt in 2022, it allowed for a head-to-head competition in all sports to resume and the rivalry to be forged.
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Royal Rivalry points are awarded for head-to-head competition or for the best finish in mutual conference championship events in sports where head-to-head competition does not occur. Half points are granted in case of a tie. Both regular season and postseason matches are included in head-to-head calculations.
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Highlights of JMU's year-four victory of the rivalry include:
TowneBank agreed to a commitment to sponsor the challenge, a partnership secured by LEARFIELD's JMU Sports Properties and Playfly's ODU Sports Properties.Â
2025-26 TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge Results
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The TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge is in its fourth year, and JMU has now won it outright in three seasons (2022-23, 2023-24, 2025-26) while tying once (2024-25).
Â
Over the course of the four academic years, JMU holds a 48-32-3 overall record against ODU.
The Royal Rivalry title derives from the royalty implied in the "Dukes" and "Monarchs" nicknames and the presence of crowns in various logos of both schools. The two were previously conference foes in the Colonial Athletic Association from 1991 to 2013 when ODU exited for Conference USA.
Â
Matchups continued occasionally in some sports, but with both institutions joining the Sun Belt in 2022, it allowed for a head-to-head competition in all sports to resume and the rivalry to be forged.
Â
Royal Rivalry points are awarded for head-to-head competition or for the best finish in mutual conference championship events in sports where head-to-head competition does not occur. Half points are granted in case of a tie. Both regular season and postseason matches are included in head-to-head calculations.
Â
Highlights of JMU's year-four victory of the rivalry include:
- A 63-27 football victory on Oct. 18 was both JMU's highest scoring game and largest margin of victory against ODU.
- A volleyball sweep gave JMU a 3.5-1.5 lead after the fall-sport season.
- A 3-1 record in basketball, as the JMU women improved to 9-0 against the Monarchs while the JMU men are 8-1 since the start of the 2022-23 season.
- JMU led 6.5-2.5 heading into the spring.
- JMU lacrosse capped off the regular season with its highest-scoring game of the year in a 19-7 victory at ODU on April 25.
- Men's Golf finished fifth at the Sun Belt Championship, besting ODU by 33 strokes to give JMU an 8.5-5.5 lead.
- Leading by a point, JMU baseball defeated ODU 7-3 on May 16 in Norfolk to clinch the rivalry outright.
TowneBank agreed to a commitment to sponsor the challenge, a partnership secured by LEARFIELD's JMU Sports Properties and Playfly's ODU Sports Properties.Â
2025-26 TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge Results
| SPORT | DATE | RESULT | JMU | ODU |
| Women's Soccer | 9/18 | ODU 1-0 | 0 | 1 |
| Football | 10/18 | JMU 63-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Soccer | 10/31 | Tied 1-1 | .5 | .5 |
| Volleyball | 11/7 | JMU 3-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Volleyball | 11/8 | JMU 3-2 | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Basketball | 12/17 | ODU 77-68 | 0 | 1 |
| Men's Basketball | 1/10 | JMU 70-69 | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Basketball | 2/14 | JMU 87-53 | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Basketball | 2/25 | JMU 77-55 | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Tennis | 4/7 | ODU 4-1 | 0 | 1 |
| Women's Golf | 4/20-24 | ODU 4th, JMU 10th | 0 | 1 |
| Women's Tennis | 4/24 | ODU 4-0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lacrosse | 4/25 | JMU 19-7 | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Golf | 4/27-30 | JMU 5th, ODU t-12th | 1 | 0 |
| Baseball | 5/14 | ODU 5-1 | 0 | 1 |
| Baseball | 5/15 | ODU 10-0 | 0 | 1 |
| Baseball | 5/16 | JMU 7-3 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 9.5 | 7.5 |
JMU Lacrosse | Ran to the fight.
Sunday, May 10
JMU Lacrosse | Confidence is not a feeling, it's a decision you make.
Friday, May 08
JMU Lacrosse | Standard Upheld | Dukes Capture Back-To-Back American Conference Titles
Wednesday, May 06
JMU Lacrosse | Back To The 'Ship
Wednesday, May 06
