WORCESTER — Bob Chesney, one of the winningest football coaches in Holy Cross history, is now the new head coach at James Madison University.
JMU, a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision, named Chesney its new head coach Thursday. He signed a five-year deal.
Chesney will replace Curt Cignetti, who left for Indiana.
The Dukes, who play in the Sun Belt Conference, are 11-1 this season and ranked No. 24 in the latest Associated Press poll.
JMU offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski will lead the team vs. Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 23.
Chesney went 44-21 in six seasons at Holy Cross, a member of the Football Championship Subdivision. He inherited a program that went 23-45 in the six seasons before he got there. Chesney went 29-8 the last three seasons with two of his team’s losses in 2023 to FBS schools (Boston College and Army).
Chesney went 23-9 over three seasons with Division 3 Salve Regina from 2010-12 and 44-16 in five seasons at Division 2 Assumption from 2013-17.
Chesney led Holy Cross to five consecutive first-place Patriot League finishes, and his teams have finished first in the conference standings in eight of his 14 seasons as a head coach.
“My family and I are excited for this opportunity to join the James Madison family and to lead this football program,” Chesney said in a press release. “I’ve watched the JMU football program rise to one of the top in the FCS before then transitioning to the FBS level in truly unprecedented fashion.
“This program has such rich tradition, and the culture of the program expectations are firmly planted. I understand the responsibility that comes with leading the James Madison football program and am ready to hit the ground running to take it to even greater heights.”
