The death of a 20-year-old James Madison University softball player earlier this week has been ruled a suicide, USA Today reported Thursday. . 26, 2022 at 7:31 AM PDT | Updated: Apr. HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season as the school tries to cope with the suicide of one of its star players last week. She had dreams of becoming a veterinarian, and was trusted by animals in the same way she was trusted by the people in her life. Her smile and laugh were radiant - lighting up every room, bullpen or dugout she walked into and making everyone around her instantly smile. College athletics is great because of the people with whom we get to interact every day. We will use this time to continue healing and to honor Laurens memory while finishing the academic semester strong., LaPorte said the school recognizes the decision brings an abrupt end to the careers of seniors on the team, and we will make sure that they are honored for the commitment and dedication they have made as student-athletes.. WebHARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season as the school tries to cope with the suicide of one of its star players last week. All Rights Reserved. Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes, university president Jonathan Alger and athletic director Jeff Bourne said in a statement. We are grateful that Lauren has been part of our JMU Athletics community and will always consider her to be a Duke. Lauren Bernett, a sophomore catcher and cleanup hitter for the Dukes, died April 25 following a stellar weekend series against Drexel, for which she was named the Colonial Athletic Associations player of the week. James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. The official report from the Medical Examiners Office is pending, and out of respect for her family and friends, there is no other information to release at this time. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. Lauren had one of the most genuine, old and trusting souls. International Association for Suicide Prevention. This weekends home series against Delaware has been canceled. Bernett was the catcher for the Harrisonburg, Va., school team the past two seasons. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. call the Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-TALK. We will use this time to continue healing and to honor Laurens memory while finishing the academic semester strong. The Colonial Athletic Association said Wednesday that a weekend series in Harrisonburg between JMU and Delaware would not be played and instead would be declared a no-contest that would not affect the conference standings. We are so grateful for the support of our fans all season and for the love from the softball community during the past week. The Western Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia determined the cause of death. A "multi-function" face cream from the French brand Clarins that addresses skin concerns such as radiance, firmness and plumpness. The JMU softball team has canceled the rest of its season following the death of Bernett, 20, on April 25, 2022. The squads doubleheader against Longwood on Wednesday has been canceled along with a weekend series against Delaware. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account and fewer ads, Get exclusive access to the National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on, Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists, Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists, Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword, Access articles from across Canada with one account, Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments, Get email updates from your favourite authors. WebWhen Kym Hilinski found out JMU softball player Lauren Bernett died by suicide last April, it hit her in a different type of way. HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season as the school tries to cope with the suicide of one of its star players last week. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. In tribute to Bernett, teams including Liberty and Tennessee have worn purple ribbons in their hair during games. . Many members of our team found comfort in knowing Lauren would always be there for them on a tough day. James Madison (21-21, 10-5 CAA) was one game behind Delaware for the top spot in the league before Bernetts death. The Western Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia said on Thursday that Bernett died by suicide. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Lauren Bernett was a high-achieving member of our softball team and a great ambassador of JMU and our athletics program.. Bernetts death came roughly a month after Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer died by suicide months before graduation. All rights reserved. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. James Madison University is canceling the rest of its softball season in the wake of the death of star player Lauren Bernett. On Monday, Bernett was named the softball Player of the Week in the Colonial Athletic Conference after batting .788 (7-for-9) with seven RBIs and four runs during a three-game weekend sweep of Drexel. (Colin E. Braley/AP). 9 ECU in shutout fashion, 9-0, Durham Fire Department trainees, 45-year-old recruit, Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces hes, Fry for free: NC hotel in ocean-holding fundraiser, 3 Nash County teens busted for 30 vehicle break-ins, Wolfpack running backs ready to carry heavier loads, Galloway, Hall lead Clemson past NC State 96-71, Wake County Sheriffs Office investigates NC State, Joiner, Burns combine for 50, NC State tops Wake, Winner of baby race at Duke-UNC game halftime could, Roach has 19 with 10 assists, Duke beats Virginia, Duke University approves nearly 5 percent tuition, UNC wins 3rd straight with key 77-66 victory over, ESPN College GameDay coming to Chapel Hill for, Nance powers UNC-Chapel Hill over No. We encountered an issue signing you up. 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. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. In tribute to Bernett, teams including Liberty and Tennessee have worn purple ribbons in their hair during games. The Rockingham County Sheriffs office in Virginia has said the death is an apparent suicide. Shes a light no matter where she is, Humphrey said on her Twitter account with a video of the sunset Lauren Bernett, the star softball player at James Madison University whose death at age 20 was announced earlier this week, died of an apparent suicide, according to authorities in Virginia. We will use this time to continue healing and to honor Laurens memory while finishing the academic semester strong.. The James Madison University is mourning the loss of JMU softball player Lauren Bernett. WebJMU Cancels Rest of Softball Season After Player's Suicide James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season as the school tries to cope with the suicide of one of This was an extremely difficult decision and one that was not made lightly, JMU coach Loren LaPorte said in a news release of the cancellation. Read more about cookies here. Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Brunt of storm moving out of SoCal, light showers on tap Wednesday, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Celebrating Steve: Karlin Covers Dance night at Lake Robbins Ballroom, Jussie Smollett files appeal argument in hate crime hoax conviction. The school, located in Harrisonburg, Va., announced the passing of sophomore catcher Lauren Bernett on Tuesday. Five games previously were canceled: a doubleheader against Longwood and a weekend series with Delaware. James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. The school announced that Bernett, 20, who was a sophomore catcher and power hitter for the team, had died last Tuesday. Trump cowboy found not guilty of campaign finance, India urges G-20 ministers to look beyond East-West. Part of HuffPost News. In 2021, she helped the Dukes reach the Womens College World Series for the first time. Bernett, a sophomore biology major from McDonald, Pennsylvania, just earned Colonial Athletic Association player of the week honors after a star performance against Drexel University over the weekend. Lauren Bernett, a sophomore catcher and cleanup hitter for the Dukes, died April 25 following a stellar weekend series against Drexel, for which she was named the Colonial Athletic Association's player of the week. The team was scheduled to play Virginia on May 3 and a series with Elon University May 6-7. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. The series with the Blue Hens, as well as one with Elon, have been declared no contests, with no bearing on the conference standings. WebHARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season as the school tries to cope with the suicide of one of its star players last week. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. They provided no details. The second-year student was 20-years-old. Guns N' Roses, Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson and Wizkid are on sale now. For additional support in the JMU area, please reach out to: For information on programs, events, presentations and support groups the National Alliance on Mental Illness offers, clickhere. JMU coach Loren LaPorte announced the decision to cancel the season on Monday. Bernett was a star player at South Fayette High School. College athletics is great because of the people with whom we get to interact every day. Five games previously were canceled: a doubleheader against Longwood and a weekend series with Delaware. It was tough., Down to Business: Helping children learn to communicate empowers whole family, speech-language pathologist says, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. All rights reserved (About Us). More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. She was a key member of our 2021 Womens College World Series team as a freshman catcher last year. This was an extremely difficult decision and one that was not made lightly, JMU coach Loren LaPorte said in a news release. WebThe Rockingham County Sheriffs office in Virginia has said the death is an apparent suicide. The statement, however, pointed readers to text and phone contacts for people in crisis. "The official report from the medical examiner's office is pending, and out of respect for her family and friends, there is no other information to release at this time," Hutcheson said in an email. WebCNN James Madison University said it will cancel the remainder of its softball season as the death of student athlete Lauren Bernett was ruled a suicide. You really never know what someone is going through, a former teammate tweeted. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. On April 29, the team had said in a statement, Finding the words to describe what our team is going through right now feels nearly impossible. Bill would get rid of the Democratic Party in Fla. Man dead after shooting at Virginia Beach hotel, Police: 2 shot in Calvert Square area of Norfolk, Man pleads guilty to hacking into VB gas station, Investigation prompts missing persons policy change, Effects linger from wrongful accusation in Norfolk, https://scorestream.com/apiJsCdn/widgets/embed.js, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Campus Crisis line after hours, 540-568-6552, Sentara RMH Emergency Department, 540-689-1414. James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The Medical Examiner for the Western District of Virginia ruled the death a suicide. 26, 2022 at 5:09 PM PDT. Best Buy, Fable and DAVIDsTEA, to name a few. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. School president Jonathan Alger and athletic director Jeff Bourne announced the death of 20-year-old Lauren Bernett, a sophomore catcher and cleanup hitter for the Dukes, in a news release Tuesday. We are so grateful for the support of our fans all season and for the love from the softball community during the past week. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. The Medical Examiner for the Western District of Virginia ruled the death a suicide. WebU.S. LaPorte added that the team and school would be sure to properly honor the teams seniors whose collegiate careers came to an abrupt end. For the season, Bernett, a dean's list student from McDonald, Pennsylvania, majoring in biology, was batting .336 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs. Biden announces aggressive new, Newsfeed Now: Biden to launch new plan against COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Health experts concerned about COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Pres. JMU canceled a doubleheader against Longwood on Wednesday. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Bernett goes yard!#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/t4Ix0JdzLJ. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Lauren Bernett, a sophomore catcher and cleanup hitter for the Dukes, died April 25 following a stellar weekend series against Drexel, for which she was named the Colonial Athletic Associations player of the week. JMU had canceled a doubleheader against Longwood a day earlier. Her home run last year helped James Madison win an NCAA regional game at Tennessee. We will use this time to continue healing and to honor Laurens memory while finishing the academic semester strong.. WebJMU softball player Lauren Bernett dies HARRISONBURG, Va. James Madison has canceled the remainder of its softball season as the school tries to cope with the suicide The Rockingham County Sheriffs Office is in the process of conducting a death investigation into the incident and it is currently classified as an apparent suicide. We are so grateful for the support of our fans all season and for the love from the softball community during the past week. Please enter valid email address to continue. HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP/WAVY) The death of a James Madison softball star has been classified as an apparent suicide. To say she will be missed is an overwhelming understatement. Photos: Northwestern loses to Penn State 68-65 in overtime, Nick Niego is back as Brother Rice stuns St. Rita. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. 1-ranked Oklahoma in their opening game. Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. Bernett, 20, from McDonald, in western Pa., died by suicide on Monday, April 25. The Rockingham County Sheriffs office in Virginia has said the death is an apparent suicide. She died a day after being named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week. The cancellations include a May 3 game against Virginia and a three-game league series May 6-7 against Elon. WebThe suicide of James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett has staggered the sport. A stress fracture in his shin. The following message was sent out to the JMU community and posted on social media Tuesday morning: Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes. Lauren Bernett was a high-achieving member of our softball team and a great ambassador of JMU and our athletics program," Alger and Bourne said in the joint statement. WebDeath of JMU softball player ruled a suicide Back to video The school, located in Harrisonburg, Va., announced the passing of sophomore catcher Lauren Bernett on Lauren Bernett, a hard-hitting catcher for James Madison Universitys softball team, has died at age 20, the school announced Tuesday. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The series with the Blue Hens, as well as one with Elon, have been declared no contests, with no bearing on the conference standings. James Madison University softball catcher Lauren Bernett is believed to have died of an apparent suicide, Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson announced Thursday (April 28) via WJLA.com.. Hutcheson confirmed the 20-year-old's death is being classified as such, however, an investigation is ongoing and an official report from the You really never know what someone is going through, former teammate Odicci Alexander tweeted earlier, per CNN and ESPN. James Madison (21-21, 10-5 CAA) was one game behind Delaware for the top spot in the league before Bernett's death. WebJames Madison softball player Lauren Bernett, who helped the Dukes reach last year's Women's College World Series, has died at age 20. James Madison catcher Lauren Bernett during a NCAA softball game on Friday, May 28, 2021 in Columbia, Mo. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. We are so grateful for the support of our fans all season and for the love from the softball community during the past week. One month has passed since Bernett, a sophomore catcher on the JMU softball team, died by suicide at 20. Lauren Bernett, a star catcher for Americas James Madison University (JMU) softball team, has died, the school announced on Tuesday. Wednesdays home softball doubleheader vs. Longwood has been canceled. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call theSuicide Prevention Lineat 1-800-273-TALK. HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP/WAVY) The death of a James Madison softball star has been classified as an apparent suicide. James Madison (21-21, 10-5 CAA) was one game behind Delaware for the top spot in the league before Bernetts death. We will miss her dearly. The Dukes then beat Liberty to advance to the super regional and went to the Women's College World Series. Authorities with the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office announced that Bernett's This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 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