NEW ORLEANS – James Madison fourth-year forward Ginny Lackey and second-year defender Selma Rajakangas earned Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Player of the Week honors following the 2026 season’s fifth week of league play.
 
Lackey repeats as Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week and earns the accolade for the fifth time in her career, as Rajakangas secures Defensive Player of the Week recognition for the second time in her career and first since Aug. 19, 2025.
 
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Ginny Lackey, James Madison
(3rd Yr. | F | Bolton, Manchester, England)
 
Lackey accounted for five points with two goals and one assist in the Dukes’ 3-1 Sun Belt win over Louisiana Tech on Oct. 15. The brace was her third of the season with all three coming in her last four matches. The two-time All-America choice also extended her streak to eight-straight games with at least one goal and leads the conference in goals (10), game-winning goals (6) and points (22) through seven Sun Belt matches.
 
Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Selma Rajakangas, James Madison
(2nd Yr. | D | Orebro, Sweden)
 
Rajakangas played all 90 minutes on the Dukes’ back line in their 3-1 win over Louisiana Tech, leading the unit to hold the Bulldogs to just six shots in the contest. Rajakangas also recorded her first collegiate performance with multiple assists with two and now has five on the season.
 
2026 Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Aaliyah Faddoul, F, Georgia State
Week 2 - Olivia Lawrence, M, Coastal Carolina
Week 3 - Wiktoria Mikrut, F, Marshall
Week 4 - Libby Bermingham, F/M, App State
Week 5 - Sunniyah Tucker, M, Georgia State
Week 6 - Carson Glenn, F, Louisiana
Week 7 - Kennedy Horn, F, Arkansas State
Week 8 - Madison Pensom, D, Louisiana Tech
Week 9 - Ginny Lackey, F, James Madison
Week 10 - Ginny Lackey, F, James Madison
 
2026 Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 – Quinn Wilson, GK, Georgia Southern
Week 2 - Lucy Harrington, D, App State
Week 3 - Mackenzie Lorkowski, GK, Louisiana Tech
Week 4 - Emma Durand, GK, Marshall
Week 5 - Aris Lamanna, GK, Coastal Carolina
Week 6 - Ellie Goodrich, GK, Old Dominion
Week 7 - Ashlynn Kulha, D, Old Dominion
Week 8 - Libby Holmes, D, Old Dominion
Week 9 - Aris Lamanna, GK, Coastal Carolina
Week 10 – Selma Rajakangas, D, James Madison