James Madison University Softball Player Lauren Bernett Dead at 20: 'We Will Miss Her Dearly'
Colin E. Braley/ap
James Madison University is mourning the death of sophomore softball player Lauren Bernett, the school announced this week.
"Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes," James Madison University President Jonathan Alger and Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said in a joint statement on Tuesday. "Lauren Bernett was a high-achieving member of our softball team and a great ambassador of JMU and our athletics program."
The Virginia university did not reveal Bernett's cause of death. Representatives for the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
In their statement, Alger and Bourne called the 20-year-old a "key member" of the school's Women's College World Series team last year.
"College athletics is great because of the people with whom we get to interact every day. 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," they said. "We will miss her dearly."
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The JMU family is devastated to have lost one of our own.
All our love and support are with Lauren’s family, her @JMUSoftball community and all those who knew her.
📰 | https://t.co/TbZJT55w0a pic.twitter.com/v30oHMOyZO— James Madison Athletics (@JMUSports) April 26, 2022
The news of Bernett's death comes just a day after she was named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week. Her teammate, Lexi Rogers, also earned Rookie of the Week honors.
The award came after Bernett and the team faced Drexel University over the weekend. Bernett went 7-for-9 in the series, hitting .788 with seven RBIs and four runs scored, the school said.
She recorded four of her seven hits of the series on Sunday, which also included a home run.
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"Our thoughts are with her family; her coaches, teammates and friends; the rest of our department staff and student-athletes; and the entire JMU community," Alger and Bourne said in their statement.
"JMU Nation is a close community, and we grieve together," they added.
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The University announced its home softball doubleheader against Longwood University on Wednesday has subsequently been canceled.
