HONORS & AWARDS
- Big Ten Freshman of the Week (February 21, 2022, March 1, 2022)
Junior (2024) - Game-By-Game Stats
- Scored a pair of runs in the game one 5-3 victory of a doubleheader sweep of Penn State (May 4)
- Scored one of three runs in the top of the seventh in a 3-0 win at Michigan State for the first back-to-back 30-win seasons in RU history (Apr. 26)
- Added an RBI bases-loaded walk in the seventh in a 3-0 series-opening victory at Minnesota (Apr. 19)
- Collected a pair of RBIs in a 10-2 run-rule win at LIU (Apr. 16)
- Batted .556 (5-for-9) with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Wisconsin series - the first-ever series win over the Badgers (Apr. 5-7)
- Was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs in a 12-1 run-rule victory over Wisconsin (Apr. 6)
- Hit .556 (5-for-9) on the Ohio State weekend with two doubles and five RBIs (Mar. 22-24)
- Went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and collected a career-high four RBIs. in an extra-innings setback versus Ohio State (Mar. 22)
- Scored a run in 5-3 win at San Diego in the series finale (Mar. 16)
- Batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in an 8-7 win over Cal Poly at the Mary Nutter (Feb. 23)
Sophomore (2023) - Game-By-Game Stats
- Batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in a 7-3 upset of No. 18/19 Northwestern for RU's first top 25 win since 2012 (May 6)
- Posted her first home run of the season and third of her career with a two-run shot over the wall in left for both RU's runs in the series opener with No. 18/19 Northwestern (May 5)
- Captured an RBI single as RU outhit the Nittany Lions 6-5 in a series finale setback at Penn State (Apr. 15)
- Was 2-for-3 with a run as the Scarlet Knights came back from a five-run deficit for a 6-5 victory over Ohio State for RU's first 30-win season since 2013 (Apr. 7)
- Went 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored in a 9-0 five-inning series finale victory versus Purdue (Apr. 2)
- Had a double and two runs scored in the 10-8 series finale at Illinois (Mar. 26)
- Was 2-for-3 with an RBI in a 4-0 win versus Iona at the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 27)
- Delivered a sacrifice fly with two outs to open up scoring in 7-2 win over Mississippi Valley State at the Mardi Gras Classic helping RU to an 8-0 start (Feb. 18)
- Added a pair of in a 16-1 run-rule win over Mississippi Valley State at the Mardi Gras Classic (Feb. 17)
- Responsible for two runs in the season-opening 8-0 victory against Utah Valley at the NorCal Kickoff (Feb. 10)
- Hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs in an 8-2 win over Santa Clara at the NorCal Kickoff (Feb. 10)
- Added a run and RBI in a 5-1 win at UC Davis at the NorCal Kickoff (Feb. 11)
Freshman (2022) - Game-By-Game Stats
- Started 51 games playing first and second base
- Tied for second on the team with 10 doubles and third on the team with 25 RBIs
- First-ever two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week
- First Scarlet Knight to earn weekly Big Ten honors since Anyssa Illiopoulos' conference Player of the Week award back on May 6, 2019 and first RU rookie to earn a conference Freshman of the Week accolade since teammate Katie Wingert collected hers on April 19, 2019.
- Freshman of the Week for the week ending Feb. 20 after leading Rutgers to a 5-0 weekend at the Pirate Clash hitting .500 with three multiple-hit games along with six RBIs and two runs scored.
- Opened the weekend going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs in a 13-3 run-rule victory over Wagner launching her first collegiate home run for a walk-off in the bottom of the fifth to give RU the victory and adding a run in RU's seven-run third inning.
- Named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week on Mar. 1 batting .353 (6-for-17) in Rutgers' 4-1 weekend at The Spring Games batting .353 with six hits, three RBIs and three runs along with eight putouts and five assists becoming the first Scarlet Knight to win more than one Big Ten weekly award.
- Hit 2-for-3 with a double, two runs score and an RBI in a 9-1 victory over 2021 College World Series Participant James Madison at the Liberty Invitational (Mar. 5).
- Drove in three runs with her second-career home run n a 4-1 win at host Grand Canyon at the ASU/GCU Classic (Mar. 11)
- Batted 2-for-3 with a double against No. 22/23 Arizona State at the ASU/GCU Classic (Mar. 12)
- Collected six hits, three runs and three RBIs at Rutgers went 5-1 at the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 17-20)
- Went 3-for-4 with a run scored in a 5-2 win over St. Peter's during the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 18)
- Drove in two runs in a 8-0 run-rule victory over Fairfield at the Rutgers Tournament (Mar. 18)
- Captured two hits, a run and an RBI in her first Big Ten weekend at Nebraska (Apr. 1-3)
- Totaled three hits, two runs and three RBIs in the series at Indiana (Apr 8-10)
- Hit 2-for-2 with an RBI in a mid-week clash with Seton Hall (Apr. 12)
- Drove in two runs in a 4-1 series opening victory at Purdue (Apr. 29)
- Added a run against UNLV in the second game of the NISC Tournament (May 23)
PRIOR TO RUTGERS:
- Ranked No. 54 by Extra Inning Softball
- Ranked No. 70 by FloSoftball
- 2020 JO Cup National Championship with Lady Lightning Demarini Platinum Squad- Corn
- 2019 NCHSAA 3A Softball State Champion
- Region 5 3A Pitcher of the Year
- Two-time all-region
- Two-time all-state
- Batted .444 with 14 doubles and 23 RBI as a sophomore
- Hit .522 with 12 doubles and 20 RBI as a freshman
- Pitched 97 innings and struck out 127 batters with a 1.08 ERA as a freshman
- Two-time all-conference in volleyball
PERSONAL:
- Daughter of Caleb and Tracy Lawson
- Has two sisters, Morgan and Molly
- Older sister Morgan plays club softball at UNC Chapel Hill
- Plans to major in exercise science
LAWSON ON CHOOSING RUTGERS: "I chose Rutgers because it felt like home from the atmosphere of their athletic and academic support. I am excited to be able to continue my softball career at such a high level and I can't wait for all the opportunities that will be offered by this amazing school."
HEAD COACH KRISTEN BUTLER ON LAWSON: "Maddie plays shortstop for a high-level club team and perfects her craft at that position. We are excited to add her talent to the middle of the infield. As a student in the classroom, she will be a great fit here at Rutgers and in the academically strong Big Ten."
KNOW YOUR KNIGHTS
Major: Exercise Science
I chose my major because: I want to be an occupational therapist
Favorite place to hang out on campus: Livi student center or quad
If I wasn’t playing softball, I’d be: A NARP (non-athletic regular person)
One word to describe your Coach Butler: Passionate
Person who had greatest influence on my athletics career: My dad
I started playing my sport because…: My parents signed me up for tball at a young age and I loved being at the ball field from the on out.
I chose Rutgers because…: The atmosphere of great academics and competitive sports.
Favorite cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch
The movie I have watched the most in my lifetime is: Elf
The best actor/actress to play me in a movie is…: Lucy Hale
Favorite musician/group: Ariana Grande
The first song I knew all the words to is: Apple Bottom Jeans
If I could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, I would win a gold medal at: Cleaning
Rituals I have before, during or after a game are: Hair must be braided
Pets I had growing up were: Fish, cats, chickens, a bunny
My favorite Halloween costume growing up was: A hippy
The place in the world I would most like to visit is: Hawaii or Greece
The website I visit most often is: Amazon.com
My favorite teacher was/is: Tiffany Helton, 11th grade, AP Psychology
The quote that most resonates with me is: “See good in all things”
If my life was a book, the title would be: Maddie’s Marvelous, Mediocre, and Miserable Moments
If I could choose any color when buying a new car it would be: Hot pink
My spirit animal is: Turtle
One thing on my bucket list is: Travel to Greece
Phone app you cannot live without: Snapchat
