NEW ORLEANS (JMU Athletics) – For the first time in her career, James Madison forward Ashanti Barnes was voted Sun Belt Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Barnes is the third Duke to earn the honor this season, joining Peyton McDaniel (Dec. 3, Jan. 21-28) and Ro Scott (Dec. 10). In its first three seasons in the Sun Belt, JMU has now recorded two seasons in which three Dukes have earned the title of Sun Belt Player of the week. The 2022-23 season saw Kiki Jefferson (Nov. 15-Nov. 22, Feb. 21), Kseniia Kozlova (Dec. 26) and McDaniel (Jan. 24) take home the award.

Barnes recorded another stellar week, averaging 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game to help lead James Madison to a 19-4 record with a perfect 11-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. The senior started the week with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds while dishing out a career-high six assists in a 77-60 win at Georgia Southern on Wednesday. On Saturday, Barnes registered 24 points on an efficient 11-of-17 (.647) shooting outing and grabbed five boards in an 85-62 triumph at Old Dominion. Her performance marked her third 20-plus point effort of the season, and her third in Sun Belt Conference play. The Norfolk, Va. native has now produced three double-doubles during the 2024-25, with all three coming against league foes.

The last time a Sun Belt team other than JMU had three or more different players earn the distinction was in 2020-21 when Troy and Georgia Southern each had three unique winners. Lastly, Head Coach Sean O’Regan’s squad is the first to have a Sun Belt Player of the Week in three consecutive weeks since Troy’s Kayla Robinson won three straight (Jan. 29-Feb. 12) during the 2017-18 season.

— JMU Athletics —