University of Minnesota Athletics
2023-24 Women's Basketball Roster
Sanders, Janay
Jersey Number 30
Janay Sanders
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Position:
- Guard
- Height:
- 5-11
- High School:
- Mallard Creek
- Hometown:
- Charlotte, N.C.
- Prev School:
- App State/LaSalle
Bio
2023-24: GRADUATE SEASON
Played in all 36 games, including 14 starts...Averaged 19.1 minutes played and 7.3 points...Had 57 assists and 27 steals...Hit two clutch field goals in the fourth quarter to help Minnesota close out Rutgers in the opening round of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament... Tied a career high with six assists against Northwestern and shot 8-of-10 FT, drawing eight fouls... In her first road start with Minnesota dropped a season-high 23 points on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting... Made her first start at Minnesota vs. Penn State, scoring 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting... Drew five fouls and took a charge in Minnesota's win over Michigan State... Drew 10 fouls, took two charges and connected on two and-ones in the win over Nebraska, scored a Big Ten career high 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and added four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes... Took a charge in the 4th quarter against Michigan at the 8:02 mark, Minnesota went on to out score the Wolverines 23-8 the rest of the game... Forced overtime with a steal and score with 23 seconds left in regulation against Drake, forcing overtime where the Gophers would go on to win in double overtime.
2022-23: REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON (App State)
Sanders led App State in scoring last season at 13.5 points per contest while also averaging 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game... During Sun Belt Conference play Sanders was ninth in steals per contest last season at 1.7 and averaged 13.2 points per game, which was 15th in the league... Scored a season high 26 points against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 4... Handed out a season high six assists against Louisiana on Jan. 28... Made a season high 11 free throws against Norfolk State on Nov. 17.
2021-22: REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON (App State)
Started all 26 games … Scored 324 points, averaging 12.5 per game and ranked second on the team in the points category … Sunk 65 free throws for a percent of .576, ranking second on the team … Tallied 124 field goals with a percent of .521, leading the team … Made 11 three-pointers with a .379 percentage … Had a single-game high of 25 points during the Mountaineers’ game against Texas State (2/19) … Posted a single-game high of 12 rebounds against Eastern Kentucky (12/21) … Totaled 77 rebounds (57 defensive, 20 offensive) on the season … Posted 23 steals … Was third on the team in the assists category with 54 … Finished 11th in the Sun Belt for scoring and landed in the top-25 in the conference assists category … Was named Third-Team All-SBC.
2020-21: REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SEASON (App State)
Put forth a productive first season with the Mountaineers, especially in the final 12 games, where she averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game .... started in 10 of 27 appearances with eight starts coming in the final nine games of the season ... dropped a season-high 16 points at South Alabama (2/19) before following that up with 14 points the next day against the Jaguars ... her five rebounds against Coastal Carolina and UTA were a season best ... shot 67.7 percent from the line over the last 22 games after starting the campaign shooting 25 percent ... her 120 free throw attempts were first on the team and led the Sun Belt.
2019-20: SOPHOMORE SEASON (App State)
Redshirted due to NCAA transfer rules.
2018-19: FRESHMAN SEASON (LaSalle)
Played in 26 games, starting 20 as a true freshman… Averaged 6.6 points and 3.0 assists per outing… Registered first collegiate points at Towson… Scored 12 points against #9 Oregon State… Set a career high with 18 points at Davidson… Dished out a career best nine assists in the upset over George Mason to end the regular season.
HIGH SCHOOL
Sanders posted a successful career at Mallard Creek, earning a varsity letter all four seasons. She was named to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) All-State Second Team after averaging 13 points per game. She was an all-conference selection her junior and senior years while participating all four years in outdoor track & field. Sanders was a four-time state competitor in high jump and three-time state participant in long jump.
PERSONAL
Sanders is the daughter of Renee and Malcolm. Her brother, Jalen Sanders, played basketball at App State from 2014-16, while her father walked on for App State.
SHOP HERE: JANAY SANDERS JERSEY
Played in all 36 games, including 14 starts...Averaged 19.1 minutes played and 7.3 points...Had 57 assists and 27 steals...Hit two clutch field goals in the fourth quarter to help Minnesota close out Rutgers in the opening round of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament... Tied a career high with six assists against Northwestern and shot 8-of-10 FT, drawing eight fouls... In her first road start with Minnesota dropped a season-high 23 points on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting... Made her first start at Minnesota vs. Penn State, scoring 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting... Drew five fouls and took a charge in Minnesota's win over Michigan State... Drew 10 fouls, took two charges and connected on two and-ones in the win over Nebraska, scored a Big Ten career high 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and added four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes... Took a charge in the 4th quarter against Michigan at the 8:02 mark, Minnesota went on to out score the Wolverines 23-8 the rest of the game... Forced overtime with a steal and score with 23 seconds left in regulation against Drake, forcing overtime where the Gophers would go on to win in double overtime.
2022-23: REDSHIRT SENIOR SEASON (App State)
Sanders led App State in scoring last season at 13.5 points per contest while also averaging 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game... During Sun Belt Conference play Sanders was ninth in steals per contest last season at 1.7 and averaged 13.2 points per game, which was 15th in the league... Scored a season high 26 points against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 4... Handed out a season high six assists against Louisiana on Jan. 28... Made a season high 11 free throws against Norfolk State on Nov. 17.
2021-22: REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON (App State)
Started all 26 games … Scored 324 points, averaging 12.5 per game and ranked second on the team in the points category … Sunk 65 free throws for a percent of .576, ranking second on the team … Tallied 124 field goals with a percent of .521, leading the team … Made 11 three-pointers with a .379 percentage … Had a single-game high of 25 points during the Mountaineers’ game against Texas State (2/19) … Posted a single-game high of 12 rebounds against Eastern Kentucky (12/21) … Totaled 77 rebounds (57 defensive, 20 offensive) on the season … Posted 23 steals … Was third on the team in the assists category with 54 … Finished 11th in the Sun Belt for scoring and landed in the top-25 in the conference assists category … Was named Third-Team All-SBC.
2020-21: REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE SEASON (App State)
Put forth a productive first season with the Mountaineers, especially in the final 12 games, where she averaged 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game .... started in 10 of 27 appearances with eight starts coming in the final nine games of the season ... dropped a season-high 16 points at South Alabama (2/19) before following that up with 14 points the next day against the Jaguars ... her five rebounds against Coastal Carolina and UTA were a season best ... shot 67.7 percent from the line over the last 22 games after starting the campaign shooting 25 percent ... her 120 free throw attempts were first on the team and led the Sun Belt.
2019-20: SOPHOMORE SEASON (App State)
Redshirted due to NCAA transfer rules.
2018-19: FRESHMAN SEASON (LaSalle)
Played in 26 games, starting 20 as a true freshman… Averaged 6.6 points and 3.0 assists per outing… Registered first collegiate points at Towson… Scored 12 points against #9 Oregon State… Set a career high with 18 points at Davidson… Dished out a career best nine assists in the upset over George Mason to end the regular season.
HIGH SCHOOL
Sanders posted a successful career at Mallard Creek, earning a varsity letter all four seasons. She was named to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) All-State Second Team after averaging 13 points per game. She was an all-conference selection her junior and senior years while participating all four years in outdoor track & field. Sanders was a four-time state competitor in high jump and three-time state participant in long jump.
PERSONAL
Sanders is the daughter of Renee and Malcolm. Her brother, Jalen Sanders, played basketball at App State from 2014-16, while her father walked on for App State.
SHOP HERE: JANAY SANDERS JERSEY
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