2025 Softball Roster
Lindsey, Ayana

Jersey Number 42
Ayana Lindsey
- Height:
- 5-4
- Class:
- Senior
- High School:
- Iowa City High School
- Hometown:
- Iowa City, Iowa
Bio
Pronunciation: Eye-ahn-uh
2025: Appeared in 44 games and made 36 starts as a senior … Finished with four doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBI … Racked up a hit, a stolen base, and a sacrifice bunt in a win over No. 8 Duke (2/8) … Hit the eventual game-winning home run in the top of the seventh inning in a 2-1 win over Southern Miss (2/9) … Hit a double, stole a base, and scored three runs in a win over UT Arlington (2/15) … Picked up two hits, drove in a run, and stole a base in a win over Illinois (4/6) … Hit a two-run homer in a win over Loyola Chicago (4/16) … Drove in two runs with a double in a win over Rutgers (4/20) … Batted .500 (4-for-8) with a run batted in and three runs scored in a series win over Wisconsin (4/25-27) … Cleared the bases with a triple and came around to score twice in a run-rule victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/2).
2024: Started 48 games as a junior … Finished with a .230 average and 16 RBI … Legged out a team-high three triples … Started the season with an RBI double against Boise State (2/9) … Racked up a hit, two RBI, and two runs scored in a win over Georgia Tech (2/17) … Posted two hits and reached on a walk against North Texas (3/2) … Batted .417 with 5 RBI in five straight wins over South Carolina, Depaul, UIC, and Michigan State (3/17-24) … Had five hits, including a double and a triple in a series win over Ohio State (3/29-31) … Doubled in the winning run to beat Maryland (4/12) … Collected hits in four straight games, scoring two runs and knocking in two more over the span (4/16-21) … Knocked in the tying run and scored the winning run against Indiana (5/3) … Logged two hits in the Texas Regional opening win over St. Francis (5/17).
2023: Made 18 starts and 47 appearances as a sophomore ... Hit .241 with a .727 OPS in 54 at bats ... Walked and stole a base against Notre Dame (2/18) ... Tripled, singled, drove in a run, and scored against Louisville (3/4) ... Scored two runs against Louisville (3/5) ... Went 3-for-3 with a triple, two stolen bases, and three runs scored against Minnesota (3/24) ... Doubled and singled against Minnesota (3/26) ... Drove in two runs and scored twice against DePaul (3/28) ... Blasted her first home run of the season against Penn State (4/7) ... Drove in two runs against Penn State (4/8) ... Tallied two walks and two runs scored to help beat Rutgers (5/5).
2022: Appeared in 49 games as a first-year, making nine starts ... Hit .333 (9-for-26) with two home runs ... Went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs scored, and a RBI in her collegiate debut against Akron (2/12) ... Reached base and tallied a steal against Liberty (2/13) ... Scored a run against Texas Tech (2/18) and Clemson (2/19) ... Stole a base against Cal State Fullerton (2/26) ... Stole a base and scored a run against Ball State (3/6) ... Recorded her first-career walk against Ohio State (4/10) ... Pinch ran, stole a base and scored in back-to-back two games of a three game sweep against Indiana (4/22-24) ... Crushed a grand slam as part of a career-high six RBI day in a win over UIC (4/26) ... Launched a two-run home run in a regional win against McNeese (5/21) ... Scored a run in both game two and game three of the Tempe Super Regional against Arizona State (5/28-29).
Career Highs:
At-Bats.......................................... 5, vs. Iowa (4/1/23)
Hits....................... 3 (3x), last vs. Ohio State (3/29/24)
Runs.................. 3 (3x), last vs. UT Arlington (2/15/25)
RBI................................................ 6, vs. UIC (4/26/22)
Doubles...........................1 (7x), last vs. UCLA (5/3/25)
Home Runs....1 (5x), last vs. Loyola Chicago (4/16/25)
Total Bases.............5 (2x), last vs. Minnesota (3/24/23)
Walks...........................2 (4x), last vs. Purdue (4/19/24)
Stolen Bases……..…………..... 3, at Rutgers (4/18/25)
High School: Has started for four years at Iowa City City High School, playing shortstop and pitcher ... A four-time All Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC) Honoree and three-time All-District Selection … Named first team All-State following her sophomore and junior seasons after earning a second team nod as a first-year … Named MVC Athlete of the Year in both her sophomore and junior seasons after hitting .463 with 73 runs scored and 34 stolen bases as a sophomore, followed by a .500 batting average with 39 runs, 18 stolen bases and a 2.25 ERA in the circle as a junior … Also played one year of varsity basketball and received varsity letters in track for two years … Played club softball for the South East Iowa All-Stars and the Eastern Iowa Barracudas … Daughter of Erin Whiting and Donzell Lindsey.
Drohan on Lindsey: "Ayana is a legit five-tool, complete player who delivers on both sides of the ball with her speed, power and explosiveness. She is mature beyond her years and will have a tremendous impact on our Northwestern community. We are thrilled she chose NU."
2025: Appeared in 44 games and made 36 starts as a senior … Finished with four doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBI … Racked up a hit, a stolen base, and a sacrifice bunt in a win over No. 8 Duke (2/8) … Hit the eventual game-winning home run in the top of the seventh inning in a 2-1 win over Southern Miss (2/9) … Hit a double, stole a base, and scored three runs in a win over UT Arlington (2/15) … Picked up two hits, drove in a run, and stole a base in a win over Illinois (4/6) … Hit a two-run homer in a win over Loyola Chicago (4/16) … Drove in two runs with a double in a win over Rutgers (4/20) … Batted .500 (4-for-8) with a run batted in and three runs scored in a series win over Wisconsin (4/25-27) … Cleared the bases with a triple and came around to score twice in a run-rule victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/2).
2024: Started 48 games as a junior … Finished with a .230 average and 16 RBI … Legged out a team-high three triples … Started the season with an RBI double against Boise State (2/9) … Racked up a hit, two RBI, and two runs scored in a win over Georgia Tech (2/17) … Posted two hits and reached on a walk against North Texas (3/2) … Batted .417 with 5 RBI in five straight wins over South Carolina, Depaul, UIC, and Michigan State (3/17-24) … Had five hits, including a double and a triple in a series win over Ohio State (3/29-31) … Doubled in the winning run to beat Maryland (4/12) … Collected hits in four straight games, scoring two runs and knocking in two more over the span (4/16-21) … Knocked in the tying run and scored the winning run against Indiana (5/3) … Logged two hits in the Texas Regional opening win over St. Francis (5/17).
2023: Made 18 starts and 47 appearances as a sophomore ... Hit .241 with a .727 OPS in 54 at bats ... Walked and stole a base against Notre Dame (2/18) ... Tripled, singled, drove in a run, and scored against Louisville (3/4) ... Scored two runs against Louisville (3/5) ... Went 3-for-3 with a triple, two stolen bases, and three runs scored against Minnesota (3/24) ... Doubled and singled against Minnesota (3/26) ... Drove in two runs and scored twice against DePaul (3/28) ... Blasted her first home run of the season against Penn State (4/7) ... Drove in two runs against Penn State (4/8) ... Tallied two walks and two runs scored to help beat Rutgers (5/5).
2022: Appeared in 49 games as a first-year, making nine starts ... Hit .333 (9-for-26) with two home runs ... Went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs scored, and a RBI in her collegiate debut against Akron (2/12) ... Reached base and tallied a steal against Liberty (2/13) ... Scored a run against Texas Tech (2/18) and Clemson (2/19) ... Stole a base against Cal State Fullerton (2/26) ... Stole a base and scored a run against Ball State (3/6) ... Recorded her first-career walk against Ohio State (4/10) ... Pinch ran, stole a base and scored in back-to-back two games of a three game sweep against Indiana (4/22-24) ... Crushed a grand slam as part of a career-high six RBI day in a win over UIC (4/26) ... Launched a two-run home run in a regional win against McNeese (5/21) ... Scored a run in both game two and game three of the Tempe Super Regional against Arizona State (5/28-29).
Career Highs:
At-Bats.......................................... 5, vs. Iowa (4/1/23)
Hits....................... 3 (3x), last vs. Ohio State (3/29/24)
Runs.................. 3 (3x), last vs. UT Arlington (2/15/25)
RBI................................................ 6, vs. UIC (4/26/22)
Doubles...........................1 (7x), last vs. UCLA (5/3/25)
Home Runs....1 (5x), last vs. Loyola Chicago (4/16/25)
Total Bases.............5 (2x), last vs. Minnesota (3/24/23)
Walks...........................2 (4x), last vs. Purdue (4/19/24)
Stolen Bases……..…………..... 3, at Rutgers (4/18/25)
High School: Has started for four years at Iowa City City High School, playing shortstop and pitcher ... A four-time All Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC) Honoree and three-time All-District Selection … Named first team All-State following her sophomore and junior seasons after earning a second team nod as a first-year … Named MVC Athlete of the Year in both her sophomore and junior seasons after hitting .463 with 73 runs scored and 34 stolen bases as a sophomore, followed by a .500 batting average with 39 runs, 18 stolen bases and a 2.25 ERA in the circle as a junior … Also played one year of varsity basketball and received varsity letters in track for two years … Played club softball for the South East Iowa All-Stars and the Eastern Iowa Barracudas … Daughter of Erin Whiting and Donzell Lindsey.
Drohan on Lindsey: "Ayana is a legit five-tool, complete player who delivers on both sides of the ball with her speed, power and explosiveness. She is mature beyond her years and will have a tremendous impact on our Northwestern community. We are thrilled she chose NU."
Softball - Lauren Boyd Tosses Complete Game Shutout, 'Cats Blank Kentucky in NCAA Regional (5/16/25)
Friday, May 16
Softball - 'Cats Storm Back, Secure Series Victory at No. 8 UCLA (5/4/25)
Sunday, May 04
Softball - 'Cats Earn 8-0 Run-Rule Win at No. 8 UCLA (5/2/25)
Saturday, May 03
Softball - Kaylie Avvisato Hits Walk-Off Home Run, 'Cats Take Series vs. Wisconsin (4/27/25)
Sunday, April 27