Tragic news ... James Madison University softball star Lauren Bernett -- who was just named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week on Monday -- has died, the school announced.
She was just 20 years old.
In a statement announcing the sad news Tuesday morning, JMU officials did not reveal a cause of death ... but said the tragedy was "devastating."
"Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes," officials said ... "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.