Most Influential: Danielle Lawrie

Danielle Lawrie dropped jaws in the NCAA regional tournament when she pitched both games of a doubleheader

Danielle Lawrie [ Pitcher, UW Women’s Softball Team ]

Lawrie, pitcher extraordinaire for the University of Washington’s women’s fastpitch softball team, dropped jaws in the NCAA regional tournament last May when she pitched both games of a doubleheader against the University of Massachusetts. After losing the first game in seven innings, forcing a second game for the regional title (the Huskies won, 5-1), Lawrie went long—15 innings and more than five hours, throwing an astonishing 395 pitches and advancing the team to the College World Series. (Yeah, it’s underhand—so what? Just try it, Felix Hernandez.) “It was emotionally draining,” confesses the Langley, British Columbia, resident. “There were some tears coming out in the dugout in the 13th inning. I said, ‘C’mon, guys, let’s push one across and I’ll close this out.’”

The Huskies went on to win the World Series, where Lawrie was named most outstanding player of that series. She’s racked up more accolades: as NCAA’s national college player of the year and as one of five nominees for ESPN’s annual ESPY award as female college athlete of the year. As she returns for her senior year, it might be hard to find a more remarkable athlete anywhere in town.