LukeLawrence

PRIOR TO KENTUCKY
Played in 95 games at Illinois State with 85 starts…A career .331 hitter with an .859 OPS…Already has 120 hits in two seasons…Has 33 extra-base hits and is 15-of-19 on stolen base attempts…Led ISU in batting both seasons with the program.

2024 (ILLINOIS STATE)
Appeared in 56 games with 56 starts, primarily at shortstop with some time at third base…Led the team in hitting at .333…Tallied 48 RBIs and 56 runs scored…Posted 13 doubles, three triples, and four homers…second on the team with 10 stolen bases…Recorded three hits, five RBIs, four scored, a home run, and double versus SIUE on 3/19…Posted eight games with 3+ RBIs…set a team-high on-base streak of 33 games, the longest by a Redbird since Derek Parola’s 33-game streak in 2019.

2023 (ILLINOIS STATE)
Appeared in 39 games with 29 starts, primarily at third base with some time at second base and pair of starts in right field…Led the team in hitting at .319…Tallied 22 RBIs and 23 runs scored…Posted 10 doubles, one triple, and two homers…Tied for fourth on the team with five stolen bases …Recorded five hits, six RBIs, four scored, a home run, double, and stolen base against Valparaiso on 5/19 (first Redbird freshman since at least 2000 with five hits OR six RBIs in a game; second Redbird since at least 2000 with five hits and six RBIs in a game – Kevin Tokarski on 3/14/2010; third Redbird freshman with four runs scored in game since at least 2000 – Chad Hinshaw in 2010 and Daniel Pacella on 4/21/23).

HIGH SCHOOL/PERSONAL
Full name is Luke Joseph Lawrence…Born in Hinsdale, Ill….Son of Ralph and Anmarie…Has two sisters, Taylor and Dylan…Dad played junior college baseball…Played high school baseball for Sean McBride at Brother Rice…Also played hockey, where he was the 2021 Chicago Catholica Hockey League MVP and 2020 Defensive Player of the Year…Part of an association called Athlete to Athlete that mentors younger baseball players…Major is Communication.
*Illinois State Athletics Communications contributed to this bio