LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The NFCA is pleased to announce Amari Lawson, head coach at Benedict College, as the 2026 recipient of the Association’s HBCU Scholarship presented in partnership with Major League Baseball.
Reviewed and voted on by the NFCA Access & Opportunity Committee, the scholarship is awarded to a current Historically Black College or University (HBCU) coach who has a desire and need for financial assistance, which includes Convention registration, $700 in travel reimbursement and up to four nights at the Convention’s host hotel, to attend the NFCA National Convention, Dec. 9-12 in Atlantic City, N.J.
Lawson’s softball journey has come full circle as she heads into her third season as the head coach of her alma mater. A proud graduate of Benedict, Lawson was hired in October of 2024 and has spent the last two years building the Tigers into a competitive program, earning a bid into the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) tournament following a three-year absence. She entered the coaching world as a volunteer assistant coach at Clark Atlanta University in 2019 and spent five seasons with the Panthers pining her trade, allowing her to learn the coaching profession from the ground up, develop her philosophy and grow as a leader and mentor.
“My journey from a Benedict student-athlete to becoming the head coach of my alma mater has been extremely meaningful and continues to fuel my commitment to growing the game and creating opportunities for the young women I coach,” said Lawson.
In addition to her everyday duties as a head coach, Lawson also serves as Benedict’s Student-Athlete Academic Enhancement Counselor in which she is an academic advisor, supporting student-athletes beyond the field and helping them navigate their academic success.
“Attending this Convention would help me develop as a coach by being exposed to new ideas, strategies and perspectives that I can bring back to my program,” said Lawson. “Having the opportunity to learn from experienced coaches would help strengthen areas such as leadership, player development, recruiting, team culture, staff management, and building a sustainable program. I also value the opportunity to network with other coaches, ask questions, share experiences, and build relationships with professionals who have successfully navigated different stages of their coaching careers. Most importantly, this experience would challenge me to evaluate how I currently lead and identify ways I can improve. My goal is to return to Benedict with practical knowledge and resources that will help me better develop my student-athletes, support my staff, and continue moving our program forward.”
Lawson will be recognized on Thursday, Dec. 10 during the Convention’s annual mentoring workshop.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its extensive awards and scholarships program, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from NFCA podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of 7,000 coaches today!
