Lauren Bernett, a star catcher for the James Madison University softball team, has died, the school announced Tuesday. The sophomore was 20 years old.
“Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes,” a statement by the school’s athletic department read in part.
JMU athletics did not reveal a cause of death or any other details about the “devastating loss.”
“We are a tight family. We are grateful that Lauren has been part of our JMU Athletics community and will always consider her to be a Duke. We will miss her dearly,” the statement read.
The Dukes’ doubleheader against Longwood scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled, the team said in a tweet Tuesday, noting that future schedule changes have yet to be determined.
On Monday, CAA named Bernett the conference Player of the Week after James Madison swept Drexel this past weekend. She went 7-for-9 in the series, hitting .788 with seven RBIs and four runs scored. She recorded four of her seven hits in Sunday’s game, including a home run.
Bernett had seven RBIs against against College of Charleston on April 16, tying the school’s single-game record.
According to JMU’s website, Bernett was a McDonald, Penn. native, which is about 18 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, and had plans to be a biology major with a minor in Pre-Vet. Bernett is survived by her parents, two brothers and two sisters.
The university provided students with information for its counseling center and other mental health resources in its statement.
