Ashley Perez '16, '19 is in her first season as an assistant coach for the JMU Women's Basketball program.
"Ashley knows this program as well as anyone we could have considered for this position,' head coach Sean O'Regan stated. "She's been a tremendous asset to our success in her role here the last 3 years and will continue to make our program better in her new role. I'm very excited to watch her grow into a great assistant coach."
Since her undergraduate graduation in 2016, Perez served the JMU women's basketball team with daily practices, road trips, recruiting trips, banquets and many team events. Perez assisted with the creation of social media posts to stay consistent with the JMU brand, while helping to create a positive interaction with the JMU community.
"JMU is a very special place and I am thrilled to be able to learn and grow as assistant basketball coach at my alma mater," said Perez. "With passion for this program, I look forward to continuing our tradition in developing elite players and young women. I am extremely grateful for Coach O and this opportunity to contribute to the winning culture here at JMU."
She was a 2015 preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association honorable mention selection and 2015 Florida Sunshine Classic All-Tournament Team honoree, but saw her senior year slowed by an injury early in league play. When she returned, she got back to midseason form and earned CAA All-Tournament accolades. Over her JMU career, Perez shot 37.1 percent from the floor, including 35.8 percent beyond the arc, and sank 83.9 percent of her attempts from the free throw lin
Perez was a two-year letterwinner with the Dukes, transferring in from St. John's during the 2013-14 school year. Upon becoming eligible to play in December 2014, she made a memorable impact for JMU over 50 appearances. She averaged 11.9 points per game, including the game-clinching 3-pointer of the 2016 CAA quarterfinals.
Perez was with the Dukes for three CAA titles (2014, 2015, 2016) and three trips to the NCAA tournament.
Professionally, Perez spent two months playing for the DCU Mercy Superleague team in early 2017, a part of the Irish Premier League in Dublin, Ireland. She also played for the Puerto Rico Women's National Team at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup, winning bronze and earning Puerto Rico's first-ever berth into the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup (held in 2018).
Perez graduated from JMU with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies with a public relation concentration in 2016. She then earned a Masters of Science in Sport and Recreation Leadership at JMU in 2019.