Eastern Michigan Athletics
Lacrosse Adds Sanai James to 2026 Roster
7/29/2025 3:03:00 PM | Lacrosse
Junior transfer spent her previous three seasons at Delaware State
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Eastern Michigan University lacrosse head coach Maddie Dugan announced today, July 29, the addition of Sanai James to the 2026 roster. James, a native of Abingdon, Md., comes to Ypsilanti after transferring in from Delaware State University, where she spent the previous three academic years.
James appeared in 27 games over three seasons with the Hornets and earned a starting position in 12 contests. She finished her time in Dover, Del., with 22 ground balls, seven caused turnovers, and 22 draw controls won while splitting time in the midfield and on defense. A 2024 Northeast Conference All-Academic honoree, James has prior knowledge of the Eastern Michigan program as the then freshman played against the Eagles, March 7, 2023, in Ypsilanti, the first year of the EMU program.
Prior to her collegiate days, James graduated from St. Timothy's School in Stevenson, Md., after opening her prep career at The Catholic High School of Baltimore. James capped her high school career with 50 goals scored in her senior season and was named her team's MVP while garnering all-conference honors. A member of the basketball and volleyball teams as well, James also played club lacrosse for Uproar and basketball with Team Melo.
The Eagles are closing in on the start of the program's fourth varsity season, which gets underway in February 2026. Eastern, who shared the Mid-American Conference regular season title with the University of Akron and Robert Morris University in 2025, will open their fall training the first week of September.
2025-26 Transfer Biography
Sanai James
5-4 • Junior • Defense/Midfield
Abingdon, Md. • St. Timothy's School • Delaware State
EMU: 2026: Incoming transfer for the Eagles after three years at Delaware State... Pronounced: suh-NYE... DELAWARE STATE: Appeared in 27 games with 12 starts over three seasons for the Hornets... Recorded 22 ground balls, seven caused turnovers, and 22 draw controls... 2025: Appeared in three games with one start (vs. LaSalle, Feb. 8)... Tallied two shots (one on goal), two ground balls, and one caused turnover in the game with LaSalle for her only stats of the season... 2024: Played a career-high 13 games with six starts... Posted 10 total ground balls with two each in four games... Added a career-best five draw controls against Radford (March 6) with four each at Fairleigh Dickinson (March 16) and St. Francis (April 10)... Career-high two caused turnovers in the win against Howard (March 27)... 2023: Appeared in 10 games with five starts... Made her collegiate debut against Howard (Feb. 11) and her first start at Kent State (March 8)... Played in the game at Eastern Michigan (March 7) and recorded two ground balls... HIGH SCHOOL: Started her prep career at The Catholic High School of Baltimore before finishing at St. Timothy's School... Played lacrosse for St. Timothy's, scoring 50 goals her senior season... Earned all-conference and team MVP honors at STS... Also competed in basketball and volleyball... Helped her basketball team at TCHSB to the 2018 title... Played four years of club lacrosse with Uproar and four years of club basketball with Team Melo... PERSONAL: Full Name: Sanai Jordan James… Daughter of Bruce and Syretta James… Has one brother, Jalen… Public Health major with goal to become a pediatrician.
James appeared in 27 games over three seasons with the Hornets and earned a starting position in 12 contests. She finished her time in Dover, Del., with 22 ground balls, seven caused turnovers, and 22 draw controls won while splitting time in the midfield and on defense. A 2024 Northeast Conference All-Academic honoree, James has prior knowledge of the Eastern Michigan program as the then freshman played against the Eagles, March 7, 2023, in Ypsilanti, the first year of the EMU program.
Prior to her collegiate days, James graduated from St. Timothy's School in Stevenson, Md., after opening her prep career at The Catholic High School of Baltimore. James capped her high school career with 50 goals scored in her senior season and was named her team's MVP while garnering all-conference honors. A member of the basketball and volleyball teams as well, James also played club lacrosse for Uproar and basketball with Team Melo.
The Eagles are closing in on the start of the program's fourth varsity season, which gets underway in February 2026. Eastern, who shared the Mid-American Conference regular season title with the University of Akron and Robert Morris University in 2025, will open their fall training the first week of September.
2025-26 Transfer Biography
Sanai James
5-4 • Junior • Defense/Midfield
Abingdon, Md. • St. Timothy's School • Delaware State
EMU: 2026: Incoming transfer for the Eagles after three years at Delaware State... Pronounced: suh-NYE... DELAWARE STATE: Appeared in 27 games with 12 starts over three seasons for the Hornets... Recorded 22 ground balls, seven caused turnovers, and 22 draw controls... 2025: Appeared in three games with one start (vs. LaSalle, Feb. 8)... Tallied two shots (one on goal), two ground balls, and one caused turnover in the game with LaSalle for her only stats of the season... 2024: Played a career-high 13 games with six starts... Posted 10 total ground balls with two each in four games... Added a career-best five draw controls against Radford (March 6) with four each at Fairleigh Dickinson (March 16) and St. Francis (April 10)... Career-high two caused turnovers in the win against Howard (March 27)... 2023: Appeared in 10 games with five starts... Made her collegiate debut against Howard (Feb. 11) and her first start at Kent State (March 8)... Played in the game at Eastern Michigan (March 7) and recorded two ground balls... HIGH SCHOOL: Started her prep career at The Catholic High School of Baltimore before finishing at St. Timothy's School... Played lacrosse for St. Timothy's, scoring 50 goals her senior season... Earned all-conference and team MVP honors at STS... Also competed in basketball and volleyball... Helped her basketball team at TCHSB to the 2018 title... Played four years of club lacrosse with Uproar and four years of club basketball with Team Melo... PERSONAL: Full Name: Sanai Jordan James… Daughter of Bruce and Syretta James… Has one brother, Jalen… Public Health major with goal to become a pediatrician.
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