HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison punter Patrick Rea has been named the Sun Belt Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday.
Rea played a key role in the starting field position battle in the Dukes’ 26-13 win at San Diego State last Saturday, placing three punts inside the 20-yard line. He also landed a fourth punt on the 20.
In all, the Melbourne, Australia, native punted six times for 248 yards, a 41.3-yard average.
The win came on JMU’s longest regular-season road trip in program history and helped the squad improve to 3-0 for the sixth time in the last seven years.
The honor is the first of Rea’s career and the second straight a week that a Duke has been named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week. Last week, wide receiver Michael Scott took home the accolade.
Additionally, Rea is the first JMU punter to win the award since Ryan Hanson on Oct. 23, 2023.
JMU opens conference play at Old Dominion on Saturday, Sept. 26. Kickoff at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk is set for 6 p.m. ET, and you can listen on the JMU Radio Network.
— JMU Athletics —
