For most student athletes, scoring the game-winning goal or being the best player on his or her team is a crowning achievement, but not for Jacob Lawrence.

Simply being given the opportunity to be a college student is his biggest accomplishment.

Growing up in a special needs family with four siblings and one working parent, Lawrence knew that college would not be affordable for his family. ‘I would say out of everything I have done, being able to come to BG on a scholarship is what I am most proud of,’ Lawrence said.

Raised in Brandon, Miss. Lawrence was a prodigious soccer talent, winning state championships at the club and high school level.

‘Between club soccer and high school we won eight state championships,’ Lawrence said. ‘It was exciting, getting the exposure for those of us that wanted to play in college.’

It was in his freshman year of high school that Lawrence’s father, Henry, said if college was going to be an option, Jacob would have to make a decision.

‘My dad told me that I needed to make the decision to take soccer seriously or just play for fun,’ Lawrence said. ‘I knew that if I was going to get a soccer scholarship, it would not be a full ride, so I took my grades very seriously in order to also get an academic scholarship.’

‘I worked hard every night in high school, going to bed late after studying, making sure I kept my grades up. It eventually paid off because the scholarship I got from BG was a combination of athletics, my GPA and my SAT scores.’

Lawrence’s study habits never left him, as he has been named to the all-Mid-American Conference academic first team each of the last two years while maintaining a 3.94 GPA, the highest on the team. This is something that brings his father as much pride as anything his son does on the field.

‘Jacob is one of those who will take you up on a challenge, I challenged him to get an academic and athletic scholarship and he did it,’ Henry said. ‘Growing up in a big family, he really learned the value of a dollar, Jacob saw a lot of kids go to college and come back a year later unsuccessful, so he knew that he was only going to get one shot at it.’

Having performed well enough in the classroom, as well as on the field, Lawrence ended up in Bowling Green almost by accident.

Former Falcon coach Fred Thompson was in Mississippi recruiting another player when Jacob’s coach asked Thompson out to practice to watch Lawrence play.

‘It was interesting how it worked out,’ Lawrence said. ‘I was looking at other colleges and it just so happened that Coach Thompson was in Mississippi. I’m very fortunate it happened the way it did. I’m very grateful I got to come to BG.’

Current coach Eric Nichols is glad to have a player and person like Lawrence in his team in his first year at the helm, even if he didn’t recruit him.

‘As first-year coaches here, we couldn’t ask for anything more than Jacob; he is just a special person,’ Nichols said. ‘Not only is he one of the best soccer players I have ever been around but he is one of the neatest people I have ever been around.’

Nichols’ confidence in Lawrence as a player is only surpassed by his admiration for the senior as a person.

‘Jacob has given us everything he has got,’ Nichols said. ‘He is just a really special person.’