LOS ANGELES – The LMU women's basketball program continues to build for the future with the addition of transfer guard Jess Lawson, who will join the team for the 2025-26 season.

"What has stood out to me about Jess, from the beginning, is that she's a proven scorer with outstanding versatility on the perimeter," says Coach Aarika Hughes. "She has consistently demonstrated the ability to rebound at an elite level. Jess brings a dynamic skill set that will elevate our team on both ends of the floor, and her leadership and competitiveness will strengthen our roster from day one."

Lawson joins the Lions after one season at Central Michigan, where she tallied 344 points, 278 rebounds, 104 assists, and 48 steals. Before CMU, she made a name for herself at the University of Illinois Springfield, breaking the program's single-season scoring record with 478 points. That standout performance earned her a spot on the All-GLVC First Team and the UIS Female Athlete of the Year title.

Lawson began her collegiate career at Cochise College, where she played two seasons and appeared in 56 games, starting 20. She scored in double figures 15 times during the 2021–22 season and 11 times in 2022–23.

A Las Vegas native, Lawson played basketball at Legacy and Centennial High Schools. During her two years at Centennial, she helped lead the program to two of its eight consecutive state championships. She also competed on the AAU circuit with the Vegas Bulldogs.

Lawson is the daughter of Andrea Bogan and Jason Smith and has five siblings, Jessica, Adrian, Alanis, Kris and Justin.
 
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