Jenna Lawrence | F | 6-3 | Farmington, Ark. | Farmington
#SigningStories, as told by Arkansas women’s basketball head coach Mike NeighborsArkansas is full of small towns. Having been born and raised in one myself, you learn several valuable lessons others miss out on. Being at the University of Arkansas as a coach, we get calls, texts and letters (yes, we still get letters) about small town phenoms that are “the best” the town has ever seen.
When we initially began hearing about a 6-foot tall (and still growing) small-town, Eastern Arkansas player, it was nothing extraordinary. But when a trusted coach, Caleb Livingston, reached out, he said the magic phrase… “Coach, she’s different.”
What made Jenna Lawrence distinctive?
First, she was close to 6-2 than 6-0, and usually it’s the opposite direction on the height chart. Still, there are a lot of 6-2 players these days. But then she brought the ball up the court rather than trot to the block and stride her hand in the air. She then ran off a flare screen and in perfect rhythm, drained a long 3-pointer.
Not done yet…
She hustled back on defense rather than celebrate like it was her first career made 3-pointer. She got in a defense stance, switched a ball screen onto a 5-6 guard who could get around her, so she passed to a cutting teammate. Jenna spun and blocked the shot left-handed.
Coach Livingston obviously knew what he was coaching.
As distinctive as her game was, it was once again, that first impression that separated her from other players from towns big and small. She wanted to be a Razorback.
In recruiting, if you must convince someone to be a Razorback, eventually you’ll have to convince them to go to class, eat right, sleep right and to stay a Razorback. Jenna’s parents Mandy and Jason have prepared her for the path rather than prepare the path for her.
On October 24, 2020, Jenna became our second Razorback in the class of 2023. Fans in Northwest Arkansas can follow her senior year at Farmington High School for Brad Johnson who will have her Razorback ready!