Peyton McDaniel’s Loyalty and Legacy Power Record Career at James Madison
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Peyton McDaniel was already a legend by the time she left Twin Valley.
She scored 2,102 points in high school, one of six Berks players to score over 2K and the fifth-highest total in county history. She drained a Berks-record 266 career 3s, nearly 50 more than the next player, and is the only player in county history to make 80 or more 3-pointers in one season. She did that twice.
For McDaniel, it was only the beginning.
Now, after five active seasons at James Madison University, the former Twin Valley star has accomplished something few players in women’s college basketball history can claim. She finished her collegiate career with 2,325 career points, leaving her at 160th all-time in women's college basketball history.
The list, which includes data since the 1981-82 season, puts McDaniel in a rare statistical tier reached by only a slight fraction of the thousands of athletes in NCAA history.
Scan up the list and it soon becomes apparent the Birdsboro native has placed herself among some of the greatest names the college game has seen: Tina Charles, Alyssa Thomas, A'ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Lisa Leslie, Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Elena Delle Donne, Caitlin Clark, and more.
Only a small percentage of Division I players reach 2,000 points, let alone stand in the top 200 of all time.
It’s a level of achievement McDaniel admits she never imagined while playing at Twin Valley.
“I don’t think a younger version of me would have imagined the career that I did have in college,” McDaniel said. “At Twin Valley, it was more about trying to get to the next level and just being the best I could for my teammates.”
McDaniel’s scoring total carries additional historical weight.
Among players active during the 2025-26 season, she was the third-highest scorer in Division I women’s basketball, trailing only South Carolina’s Ta’Niya Latson (2,585) and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo (2,460).
Latson has a chance to add to her lofty number today at 3:30 p.m. when the Gamecocks battle UCLA for the NCAA title.
McDaniel joined two other JMU grads in Dawn Evans (2,667) and Precious Hall (2,347), who also scored over 2K.
“When you’re in the middle of it, you’re not really thinking about accolades,” McDaniel said. “It’s more about what I need to do to get better and help us win the next game. I think it’ll probably mean more when I look back on it later.”
The numbers matter less than what they represent for McDaniel. Her career stands out for another reason beyond scoring totals.
She never left. Not Twin Valley. Not JMU.
In an era defined by the transfer portal and NIL movement, McDaniel spent her entire collegiate career at James Madison, which she chose over Villanova and Drexel.
At Twin Valley, there were opportunities when she could have transferred to a prep school. The loyalty even extended to AAU as she remained on the same team — Lehigh Valley Fever — throughout her high school career.
“It was really the people,” McDaniel said of her loyalty to James Madison, where she began her career in the 2020-21 season. “The loyalty they gave to me, especially when I went through my injury, meant everything.”
During her freshman season that was reduced due to COVID, she played in 16 games and started 10 while scoring 12.2 points per game. The Dukes finished 14-10 and 9-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
She won the CAA Rookie of the Year and became only the third freshman in program history to score 30 points in a game.
Then the first major injury of her career happened.
A preseason knee injury caused her to miss her entire sophomore season and forced her into a lengthy recovery. At times, she wondered whether she would return to form at all.
“There were moments where I was like, am I even going to play again?” she said.
James Madison head coach Sean O’Regan and her Duke teammates' continued belief played a big role in her staying with the program.
“Our relationship was a big part of why I never wanted to leave,” McDaniel said of O'Regan, both of whom were emotional following the Duke's Senior Night. “My teammates became my family. I really value those relationships.”
That loyalty was rewarded with a career that won't soon — if ever — be forgotten in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
“I’ve always been someone who values where I’m wanted,” she said. “I knew JMU was a place where I could still grow and reach my goals.”
During her missed 2021-22 season, the Dukes went 14-15 and McDaniel had to watch from the sideline as she grinded her way back to full health.
“It took me forever just to run again without pain,” she said. “Even when I came back, I barely practiced between games. It was really challenging physically and mentally.”
Those experiences reshaped her perspective.
“I learned my body, learned patience, and learned how much I really loved the game,” she said.
Then she returned as James Madison made the switch from the CAA to the Sun Belt Conference. It all started to click.
JMU captured a Sun Belt championship during her return season, securing the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Dukes fell 80-66 to No. 3 Ohio State as McDaniel scored nine points in 25 minutes of play. For the season, she played in 32 games with two starts and averaged 11.5 points per game. JMU finished 26-8.
The next season McDaniel started 35 games and averaged team-highs with 15.1 ppg and 7.1 rpg. The Dukes finished 23-12.
In 2024-25, the Dukes won 30 games as McDaniel won Sun Belt Player of the Year. She averaged team-highs in scoring (16.0 ppg), rebounding (8.3), 3-point percentage (33.5), free throw percentage (84.5), blocks (26) and steals (61).
Unfortunately following a 20-game winning streak and 18-0 regular season in conference play, the Dukes fell to Arkansas State in overtime in the Sun Belt championship game and were snubbed from March Madness.
That experience made her final season playing in purple and gold even more special.
McDaniel started all 35 games this season and was named All-Sun Belt First Team. She scored 18.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, and 1.6 spg. She led the Dukes to their second Sun Belt title during her tenure beating South Alabama 79-54, top-seeded Georgia Southern 81-53, and No. 2 Troy 69-52 in the championship game.
JMU secured the No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 5 Kentucky in the first round. McDaniel had 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
Despite building her legacy hundreds of miles away, McDaniel never lost connection with Twin Valley or Berks County basketball.
“I’m still in touch with a lot of my teammates from Twin Valley and the community,” McDaniel said. “My high school coach was able to come watch us play Kentucky in the tournament, and that meant a lot to me.”
Representing her hometown on college basketball’s biggest stage became one of the most meaningful parts of her journey.
“It means a lot knowing where I came from and being able to represent that,” McDaniel said.
By the time the final buzzer sounded on McDaniel’s collegiate career, the success showed in the individual statistics, but also in the wins, connections, and life lessons collected along the way.
She stayed through adversity, overcame injuries, grew with a program through conference changes, and finished as one of the most accomplished players in school history.
“Just really happy that I chose JMU,” she said.
It's a journey she does not expect to end just yet as she plans to pursue professional opportunities in the WNBA or overseas.
“My goal has always been to play in the WNBA,” McDaniel said. “I’ll be really grateful if I get that opportunity. I just want to continue playing basketball for as long as possible.”
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