James Madison University forward Ashanti Barnes has been named one of five Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honorees by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). The recognition comes after two strong performances at the end of the regular season.
Barnes is joined in this week’s selections by Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes, BYU guard Delaney Gibb, Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo, and South Dakota State forward Brooklyn Meyer. She becomes the first player from James Madison to receive this national weekly honor and is the second Sun Belt Conference athlete to be recognized this season, following Marshall guard Timaya-Lewis Eutsey.
During the period ending March 1, Barnes averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds per game. These efforts contributed to James Madison’s victories over Old Dominion and Coastal Carolina, extending their winning streak to nine games, including eight consecutive wins against Sun Belt Conference teams.
On Senior Day against Coastal Carolina, Barnes recorded 29 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. This performance earned her Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors. According to available data, she is only the second player in Division I women’s basketball history to reach these numbers in a single game. The first was Emily Schill of San Jose State with a similar stat line in 2013.
The Dukes concluded their regular season with a record of 23-8 overall and 14-4 in conference play. This finish gives them byes into the quarterfinals of the upcoming Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship.
