Johnson is following in the athletic footsteps of her older brother senior quarterback Cole Johnson who has decided to commit to James Madison University on a full scholarship to play Division I Football.

Despite only having played volleyball for two years, she’s the only freshman starter on the team.

“When I first tried out, I was really nervous because I was inexperienced, so I thought everyone was going to be much better than me,” Johnson said. “But everyone’s been really accepting of the mistakes I’ve made and have been helping me with my skills.”

Johnson has set goals for herself this season, knowing that there are plenty of teammates who could easily take her spot as a starter.

“I hope to play all six rotations [by the end of the season] and be able to contribute more to the team. It might be hard, but I’d also hope to get some colleges looking at me,” Johnson said.

Head Coach Jason Zuidema sees plenty of potential in Johnson and the two are working together to increase her skills in preparation for future seasons.

“I’m looking to build up her confidence and develop her as a stronger passer and outside hitter,” Zuidema said. “If she continues to keep working hard and develops that inner self-confidence, she has a high probability of receiving scholarship offers from colleges in the future.”

Johnson has set short term goals and long term goals for herself. She knows that if she plays her best throughout this season and the seasons to come, her hard work won’t go unnoticed.

“I’m really competitive, so if I’m doing something I like to be the best at it. That sounds really conceited, but I like to play to win, not just to play,” Johnson said. “I’ve put a lot of time into this and I just really want it to pay off. I’ve seen my brother get letters from schools like JMU and Harvard and I want that as well.”