Created in August of 2018, JMU Sports News was the brainchild of Bennett Conlin, a 2018 JMU alumnus. Bennett quickly added Jack Fitzpatrick, a 2019 alumnus, into the mix. The two of them put together newsletters, host podcasts, and write on this website. Both Jack and Bennett had experience working with The Breeze, JMU’s student-run newspaper, as well as JMU’s MadiZONE. Jack’s also worked within the athletic department creating graphics and working games for several years.

In their professional careers, they’ve both remained in sports. Jack ran social media accounts for CBS Sports before taking ownership of a sportsbook’s social media platforms. He’s an experienced broadcaster, calling games for UNC Charlotte and other college programs in addition to regular radio work. He resides in Richmond, Virginia.

Bennett covered the University of Virginia’s athletic programs for The Daily Progress for a couple years after graduation, and he currently covers the sports betting industry for Sports Handle. He also freelances for HERO Sports, writing about Group of Five college football. Bennett lives in Maryland, just outside Washington D.C.

The original goal of JMU Sports News was to cover all of the athletic programs as thoroughly as possible from an objective view. We quickly found it was hard to take off the purple-tinted glasses. Our goal is to add to the discussion surrounding JMU sports by covering the news around the programs and sharing analysis and opinions.

We created JMU Sports News because we see a bright future for JMU sports media. As the athletic department continues to build elite programs and the loyalty and size of the fanbase rapidly grows, we believe there’s a need for increased JMU coverage across the board.

We believe the JMU media landscape is best with competition, and our goal is to be a useful voice in the growing space. We’re appreciative of your support as we aim to grow our digital media entity. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with feedback and constructive criticism!