Begins her final year with the Bulls basketball program after transferring from California ... Received a sixth year from the NCAA in May 2009 due to a series of knee injuries ... Became eligible at the beginning of the 2007-08 season after sitting out the 2006-07 season due to NCAA transfer rules ... Missed the 2005-06 season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus, and fractured kneecap in her left knee ... Can score in the high post or on the block.
2008-09 (Senior)
Had the type of season that the coaching staff had hoped for when she transferred from California ... Finished the year fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game, and tied for second in rebounding grabbing 6.7 boards per outing ... Was also second on the team in blocked shots rejecting 44 ... Was tops on the team - and fifth in the BIG EAST - in field goal percentage hitting 55.9 percent (151-270) of her shots on the year ... Shot better than 50 percent from the floor 26 times, and 60 percent or more 15 times ... Scored double figures 21 times and recorded six double doubles on the year ... Scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds at West Virginia (2/21/09) to go along with a career-high seven blocked shots ... Also had impressive outings against No. 7 Louisville (1/14/09) recording 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, and against Florida Gulf Coast (3/21/09) in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament with 19 points and 15 rebounds ... Established a new career-high with four blocked shots to go along with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Providence (1/20/09).
2007-08 (Junior)
Played in 28 of USF's 32 games while starting in 15 ... Was third on the team in both scoring, averaging 9.4 points per game, and rebounding pulling down 5.4 boards per outing ... Was also third on the team in blocked shots rejecting 22 and third in steals recording 28 ... Scored in double figures in 11 games during the season and 20 or more points in four of the 11 games ... Poured in a career-high 25 points against Saint Peter's (12/1/07) while also grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds ... In addition to her double-double against Saint Peter's, Lawson also accomplished the feat against Illinois State (11/18/07) netting 23 points and pulling down 11 boards, North Florida (12/5/07) with 18 points, 10 rebounds and Yale (12/30/07) with 14 points, 10 rebounds ... She also poured in 23 points against Florida A&M (12/9/07) ... Tied her career-high of four steals - originally set while playing at Cal - against North Florida ... Established a career-best four blocked shots in USF's win over Syracuse (3/8/08) while also netting 10 points and grabbing five rebounds in the BIG EAST Tournament first round.
2006-07 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Sat out the 2006-07 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
2005-06 (Sophomore)
Sat out the 2005-06 season with a knee injury.
2004-05 (Freshman)
Started 27 of Cal's 29 games at center ... Became the first Cal player to be named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team since Masa Radovic in 1997-98 ... Her 10.6 points per game ranked second on the team and 14th in the Pac-10 ... Grabbed a team-best 5.0 rebounds per game ... Ranked fifth in the conference overall and tops among freshmen for field goal percentage (.498) ... Led the Bears with 21 blocks, which was the most by a Cal player since Lauren Ashbaugh tallied 22 blocks in 1999-00 ... Tied for team-high honors for double-figure scoring games with 17 ... Paced Cal in scoring and rebounding eight times each ... Twice recorded a career-high 19 points against Arizona to lead her team ... In the Bears' win over the Wildcats in Berkeley, she added a career-high 12 rebounds for her only double-double of the season ... MVP of the inaugural Contra Costa Times Classic after averaging 16.0 ppg and 8.5 rpg.
High School
Named the Orlando Sentinel Central Florida Player of the Year and all-state as a junior and senior at Jones ... Three-time honorable mention Street & Smith's All-American ... A proven winner, she led Jones to the Florida state 4A title in 2004 ... During her team's state championship season, averaged 20.1 points and 17.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 60 percent from the field ... Jones finished the year with a 29-2 record ... Averaged 22.5 points and 13 rebounds per game, sporting a 53 percent field goal percentage as a junior ... Also contributed five blocks and two steals per game ... Named all-county and all-metro her last two years ... Also as a senior, earned her second team MVP honor and was named to the all-conference squad ... Led the Tigers in 2003 to the Class 3A state title game, a 30-2 record and the No. 1 ranking in the Sentinel Super Six ... In the state semifinal, she pounded in 29 points and 19 rebounds ... Was ranked No. 118 nationally by All-Star Girls Report ... Attended the All-Star Camp in Atlanta, Ga., the Nike Camp in Portland, Ore., and the Senior Showcase in Orlando, Fla.
Personal
Full name is Jessica Lakendra Lawson ... Was born May 7, 1986, in Orlando, Fla. ... Is the daughter of Roosevelt and Arlene Lawson ... Has an older sister, Ebony, and a younger sister, Allison ... Won nine straight state oratory contests ... Named Miss Jones High ... Hobbies include talking on the phone, shopping and hanging out with friends ... Graduated in May 2009 with a degree in communications and is now currently working on a second bachelor's degree in criminology.
