2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster
Lawson, Jess
Jersey Number 8
Jess Lawson
- Position:
- Guard
- Height:
- 5-7
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Las Vegas, Nev.
- High School:
- Legacy
Bio
2024-25: Started 30 of 31 games … fifth player in program history to record a triple-double (10p-11r-10a) (2/5/25 vs. Ohio) … posted 18-rebound outing at Northern Illinois (1/29/25), shortest player in NCAA I with at least 18 rebounds in a game … named College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District … tallied eight double-doubles (t-3rd in the MAC) … fourth in the MAC in rebounding (9.0 per game (60th in NCAA I, 279 total) … tied for sixth in the MAC in offensive rebounding (2.32) … led CMU in scoring in seven games … led CMU in rebounding in 17 games … fourth-most rebounds in a game in the MAC (18; 1/29/25 at NIU) … led CMU with 48 steals (1.50 per game)
2023-24 (Illinois Springfield): Transferred to Central Michigan from NCAA II University of Illinois Springfield of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) … played in 28 games with 27 starts … set new single-season program records in points (478), steals (78) and field goals made (172) … named All-GLVC First Team, just the second in program history … led the GLVC in steals both per-game (2.8) and total (76) in the regular season … named CSC Academic All-District … named UIS’s Female Athlete of the Year … was the Prairie Stars’ leader in points (17.1ppg), rebounds (8.0rpg), assists (3.36apg) and steals (2.79) … scored season-high 28 points against Drury (MO) (Jan. 3), led to first career double-double 14 rebounds … logged eight 20-point games … posted season-high 15 rebounds with 24 points for second career double-double at Southwest Baptist (MO) (Jan. 25) … logged seven double-doubles including four straight to end the regular season.
2022-23 (Cochise College): Transferred to Illinois Springfield from 2023 NJCAA I tournament qualifier Cochise College of the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) … played in 33 games with four starts … averaged eight points and 3.9 rebounds per game … scored season-high 24 points in NJCAA regional final at Eastern Arizona College (March 10) with an 11-for-22 night from the field … scored in double-digits 11 times.
2021-22 (Cochise College): Played in 23 games with 16 starts … averaged 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds per game … scored in double-digits 15 times, including each of the final six games … scored 17 or more points in six games, season high of 20 points at Phoenix College (Feb. 5).
High School: Graduated from Legacy High School, attended Centennial High School in Las Vegas freshman-junior years … only played high school basketball as a freshman and sophomore for Centennial’s nationally ranked program, winning two of the school’s eight straight state titles from 2014-23 … was a four-year honor roll recipient.
Club: Played for Vegas Bulldogs AAU under Nevada high school coaching legend Karen Weitz, also the head coach at Centennial High School.
Personal: Daughter of Andrea Bogan and Jason Smith … has five siblings: sister Jessica, and brothers Adrian, Alanis, Kris and Justin … majoring in communications, intends to pursue career in sports broadcasting … enjoys hanging out with friends, shopping and spending time with her family and girlfriend … her pregame ritual includes prayer and listening to Untouchable by NBA YoungBoy.
2023-24 (Illinois Springfield): Transferred to Central Michigan from NCAA II University of Illinois Springfield of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) … played in 28 games with 27 starts … set new single-season program records in points (478), steals (78) and field goals made (172) … named All-GLVC First Team, just the second in program history … led the GLVC in steals both per-game (2.8) and total (76) in the regular season … named CSC Academic All-District … named UIS’s Female Athlete of the Year … was the Prairie Stars’ leader in points (17.1ppg), rebounds (8.0rpg), assists (3.36apg) and steals (2.79) … scored season-high 28 points against Drury (MO) (Jan. 3), led to first career double-double 14 rebounds … logged eight 20-point games … posted season-high 15 rebounds with 24 points for second career double-double at Southwest Baptist (MO) (Jan. 25) … logged seven double-doubles including four straight to end the regular season.
2022-23 (Cochise College): Transferred to Illinois Springfield from 2023 NJCAA I tournament qualifier Cochise College of the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) … played in 33 games with four starts … averaged eight points and 3.9 rebounds per game … scored season-high 24 points in NJCAA regional final at Eastern Arizona College (March 10) with an 11-for-22 night from the field … scored in double-digits 11 times.
2021-22 (Cochise College): Played in 23 games with 16 starts … averaged 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds per game … scored in double-digits 15 times, including each of the final six games … scored 17 or more points in six games, season high of 20 points at Phoenix College (Feb. 5).
High School: Graduated from Legacy High School, attended Centennial High School in Las Vegas freshman-junior years … only played high school basketball as a freshman and sophomore for Centennial’s nationally ranked program, winning two of the school’s eight straight state titles from 2014-23 … was a four-year honor roll recipient.
Club: Played for Vegas Bulldogs AAU under Nevada high school coaching legend Karen Weitz, also the head coach at Centennial High School.
Personal: Daughter of Andrea Bogan and Jason Smith … has five siblings: sister Jessica, and brothers Adrian, Alanis, Kris and Justin … majoring in communications, intends to pursue career in sports broadcasting … enjoys hanging out with friends, shopping and spending time with her family and girlfriend … her pregame ritual includes prayer and listening to Untouchable by NBA YoungBoy.
WBB Annual Golf Outing
Friday, September 12
WBB Practice
Friday, July 04
MAC WBB Tournament Press Conference
Wednesday, March 12
Video Podcast: Amy Folan Connection-Women's Basketball March Madness and the Growth of the Game
Wednesday, March 12
