2008:
One of the top players in the Golden State Athletic Conference, senior center Abby Johnson was the anchor of the Cougar offense ... Mobile and active and hard to defend ... Prolific scorer who can tally points under the basket or on the edges of the paint ... Is physical in her play ... Rated a good defender as well ... Rewarded with NAIA national honors.
Johnson Named All-American
Thu., Mar. 27, 2008
Senior forward Abby Johnson was named to the NAIA All-American second team, becoming the fifth Azusa Pacific women’s basketball player to earn second-team or higher recognition in the annual postseason honors.
Johnson, a 6-foot-2 forward from Clarkston, Wash., posted team-high scoring and rebounding averages of 15.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, leading Azusa Pacific to its fifth consecutive 20-win season and fifth straight NAIA Tournament appearance. Both team accomplishments were program firsts, and Johnson was one of the primary contributors to the Cougars’ success the past 2 seasons.
Johnson came to Azusa Pacific in fall 2006 for her final 2 seasons of eligibility after playing her freshman and sophomore seasons at NCAA Division I Eastern Washington. She nearly became the first of Azusa Pacific’s 16 1,000-point scorers to reach the milestone in just 2 seasons, but first-round defeats in the GSAC and NAIA Tournaments this season kept Johnson from making a serious run at the mark. She finished with 939 career points in her 2 seasons as a Cougar, and she had a 2-year rebounding total of 510.
2008 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball All-American Team
FIRST TEAM
Josephine Owino, Union University (Player of the Year)
Jana Cross, Freed-Hardeman University
Kaitlin Dudley, Union University
Jessica Still, Lee University
*Jessica Richter, Vanguard University
Nicole Davis, California Baptist University
Colleen Planeta, Point Loma Nazarene University
Viola Beybeyah, Oklahoma City University
Chanel Ross, Harris-Stowe State University
Jamie Skinner, Langston University
SECOND TEAM:
Jolene Fuzesy, Carroll College
Dee Preyer, Lambuth University
Kayla Hudson, Union University
Jan Dodson, Lee University
Abby Johnson, Azusa Pacific University
Melissa Cook, Vanguard University
Kerra Sutton-Wodarski, Point Loma Nazarene University
Dominique Thomas, Langston University
Betsy Simmons, Oklahoma Baptist University
Trenese Smith, Loyola University
2007:
Put together an outstanding 2007 campaign that earned her All-GSAC first team recognition ... Led the team in rebounding (7.9 avg., fifth in the GSAC), blocked shots (43, third in the GSAC) and field goal percentage (.580, second in the GSAC) and was second in scoring (14.2 avg.) ... Started all 32 games she played, scoring 10 or more points in 27 contests ... Recorded a team-high 10 double-doubles, including a 21-point, career-high 15-rebound effort in a win over California Baptist ... Closed the season with 3 straight double-doubles, averaging 17.7 points and 11 rebounds in the postseason ... Had 27 points, 12 rebounds, a season-high 5 assists and 2 blocked shots in a victory over Olivet Nazarene ... Tallied a career-high 28 points in a over Cal State Dominguez Hills ... Recorded a season-high 4 blocked shots in 4 different games, including back-to-back victories over California Baptist and Biola.
2005/2006:
EASTERN WASHINGTON: Played 2 seasons for NCAA Division I Eastern Washington, appearing in 52 games for the Eagles, starting 8 ... As a 2006 sophomore, played in 27 of the Eagles� 28 games, starting the first 8 contests of the season ... Averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting a team-high .532 (33-for-62) from the floor ... Tallied season highs of 10 points (vs. Montana) and 6 rebounds (several times) ... As a 2005 freshman, came off the bench in 25 games, averaging 1.4 points and 1.7 rebounds.
2000/2004:
HIGH SCHOOL: Played 4 seasons of varsity basketball for head coach Len Kelly at Clarkston (Wash.) High ... As a 2004 senior, named all-state, all-district and All-Greater Spokane League first team .. Earned league and district first team recognition as a 2003 junior ... Set the school single-game record with 36 points ... Was also an all-league and all-district honoree as a 2002 sophomore ... Also earned varsity letters in volleyball and tennis.
PERSONAL: Born in Lewiston, Ida., to Guy (business owner) and Kathy Johnson .. Has a younger brother (Clayton) ... Majoring in applied health and would like to go into physical therapy following graduation ... Enjoys scrapbooking, 4-wheeling, camping, and boating.
