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Joshua Walters Sr
James Madison women’s soccer Head Coach Joshua Walters, Sr. finished his seventh season at the helm in 2024. Under his guidance, the team went 12-4-5 as the Dukes saw a historic season including the first Sun Belt Conference and Regular Season Championship as well as their second NCAA appearance under Walters in as many season and 13th overall for the program. Leading the charge for JMU were Amanda Attanasi, Lexi Vanderlinden, Ginny Lackey, Jordan Yang, and Jamie Swartz who all earned All-Sun Belt honors. The Dukes' appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Championship match was its third straight and the fifth time in seven seasons. JMU also set new program records for its first season winning both the regular season and conference tournament title, first unbeaten conference record (8-0-2), and its longest unbeaten streak (14). Duke players also reached milestones as well, as Lackey broke the program record for consecutive matches recording a point (11) and Vanderlinden became the eighth player in program history to record over 25 assists in a career.
The Dukes made their first NCAA appearance under Walters as he concluded his sixth season at JMU in 2023. The team went 9-5-8 during the season and earned the fifth seed for the Sun Belt tournament before earning an appearance into the championship match for the second consecutive season. JMU was given an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament for their first tournament appearance in eight years. Leading the charge for the Dukes were Suwaibatu Mohammed, Brittany Munson and Alba Fernández Almagro, who all earned All-Sun Belt honors while Mohammed and Munson were both selected as All-Region Second Teamers. It is the fourth time in six seasons that Walters has guided the program to a conference finals appearance, reaching at least the semifinals in all five full seasons.
Walters' fifth season directing the JMU program saw the Dukes go through their first season in the Sun Belt Conference. The team finished 12-4-5 and set team numerous defensive records on the way to the fourth seed in the conference tournament and an appearance in the championship for a third time in five seasons. Alexandra Blom was named a First Team All-Southeast Region, the program's first All-Region First Teamer since 2010, with Brittany Munson and Amanda Attanasi garnering Second Team honors and Lexi Vanderlinden being recognized on the Third Team. Blom and Munson also garnered All-Sun Belt First Team accolades, with Blom being recognized as the Goalkeeper of the Year. Vanderlinden and Soleil Flores also were named All-Conference, earning Second Team honors.
Completing his fourth season during 2021, the Dukes were back to playing a full fall schedule and finished 9-9-1 after starting 1-4-1. The Dukes ended the regular season on a four-match winning streak to secure the No. 3 seed in the CAA Tournament. Four Dukes were named All-CAA at the end of the season, with Ebony Wiseman leading the way on First Team. Ginger Deel and Brittany Munson landed on the Second Team and Amanda Attanasi was named Third Team and All-Rookie. Munson and Lexi Vanderlinden earned All-Tournament nods.
Walters' third season at the helm was during a shortened spring 2021 season where the Dukes finished 1-3-2. Ginger Deel, Ebony Wiseman, and Lexi Vanderlinden all were named to All-CAA teams.
In his second season, the Dukes finished 9-12-1 and earned the No. 6 seed for the CAA Tournament after beginning the season 2-7. The Dukes then took down the No. 2 and 3 seeds in the tournament before making their first appearance in the CAA Finals since 2015 where they took on top-seeded Hofstra.
Four Dukes were named to All-CAA teams with Ebony Wiseman being named to the First Team and Iris Rabot, Ginger Deel, and Wiseman earned All-Tournament nods.
In just his first season with the Dukes, Walters immediately made his presence felt, leading the Dukes to massive turnaround as JMU turned a 1-6 start to the season into an 11-8-1 campaign that saw it capture the 2018 CAA Regular Season Championships along the way.
Five different Dukes were named to All-CAA teams in the title-winning campaign, highlighted by Haley Crawford and Ginger Deel earning First Team nods, while Walters himself was named the CAA Coach of the Year in just his first year at the helm.
Walters took over for Dave Lombardo, who retired in November of 2017 after 28 years as the only head coach in JMU women's soccer history and ranked 12th in NCAA Division I history with 415 career victories, including 337 at James Madison.
For the five seasons prior to his arrival in Harrisonburg, Walters served on the coaching staff as recruiting coordinator at UCLA, spending the first four seasons as assistant coach before being elevated to associate head coach in 2017. His time in Los Angeles started with the 2013 NCAA Division I national championship, while he was personally recognized as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Pacific Region Assistant Coach of the Year. As recruiting coordinator, he assembled the No. 1 incoming class in the country in 2016 and followed that with the No. 2 class nationally in 2017. The Bruins went 85-20-11 during his five seasons in blue and gold.
Prior to UCLA, Walters coached one year at UCF in a similar capacity as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped guide the Knights to a 17-5-2 overall record and the first Conference USA title in program history. UCF advanced to the NCAA Tournament and established program-best marks for fewest goals allowed (12) and most shutouts (15), while ending the season ranked 20th nationally.
For two seasons (2010-2011), Walters was the director of soccer operations at Florida State, with responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the program, including team travel, gameday operations and community involvement. The Seminoles were ACC champions and reached the national semifinals in 2011 after reaching the NCAA quarterfinals in 2010.
Walters began his collegiate coaching journey on the staff at Houston for the 2005 and 2006 seasons before going on to two seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Utah State for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 campaigns, including a pair of WAC Championships in 2008 and 2009. Along with his duties for Utah State, Walters also earned positions on both the Region IV and Utah Olympic Development Program (ODP) staffs.
A 10-year military veteran, Walters served 12 months as a First Lieutenant with Brigade S2 (Military Intelligence) of the Florida National Guard during Operation Enduring Freedom V in Bagram, Afghanistan. While in Afghanistan, Walters set up and directed a soccer clinic, as well as a series of games, for Afghan youths. He later made a presentation on his experiences to the 2005 NSCAA Convention and was awarded the NSCAA Honorary All-American Award. During his military deployment, Walters received the Bronze Star for Valor and Service, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Walters' coaching career started in Tallahassee at Godby High School, where he coached from 1998-2000. He was the head coach and an assistant coach at Lawton Chiles High School in Tallahassee from 2000-05.Additionally, he was the Top of Florida Soccer Club until 2001 and head coach of the Tallahassee United Futbol Club in 2002.
"I can't wait to get started with the team, get to know them and find ways we can grow together," Walters said. "I believe in developing players as decision makers, athletes and leaders. During the interview process, I could feel a hunger to win from this group of players. This spring will be about fueling that desire and getting us ready to compete in the CAA."
Walters received his associate's degree of the arts from Marion Military Institute in 1998. He then received his bachelor of arts in sports management and graduated cum laude from Columbia Southern University in Alabama in 2004. He holds an NSCAA Premier Diploma, as well as NSCAA Goalkeeper Advance National license.
A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Walters is married to the former Amy Lucas, a former Ole Miss soccer player. They have four young children, Joshua Jr. ("J.J."), Rylan, Avonlea and Carolina.
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