Jenny Johnson
As a college student athlete, it can be difficult to find time to balance the responsibilities that come along with sports and those of academics. Some students, however, find time to shine in schooling as well as in their athletics.
Jenny Johnson, Wyoming’s chosen Student Athlete of the Week, is a senior Cowgirl women’s soccer midfielder majoring in International Studies at UW. She was born in Pullman, Wash., and attended Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colo., Johnson is no rookie when it comes to soccer.
In high school, Jenny was the captain for her team in 2007-2008. During that season, her team won the Colorado State Cup Semi-finals. Lettering all four years during her high school soccer career, Johnson also lettered for three years on her school’s basketball team.
When Johnson came to UW to visit, she did not expect to become a Cowgirl Soccer player. When asked about thoughts of leaving Colorado for Wyoming in an interview with the Wyoming Athletics Department, Johnson said, “The first time I came to Laramie was on my visit. My friends were supportive of my decision and tried not to give me a super hard time.”
As a freshman she was able to start a game against the ninth-ranked team, BYU. Johnson went on to score two goals that season, landing her a letter for her first year of collegiate play.
In her sophomore year, Johnson played in all 20 games of the season, starting all but one of them. According to Wyoming Athletics, she had the greatest shot-to-goal percentage on the team at 42.9, scoring a goal for nearly every two shots she took during that season.
For her performance during the regular season, she was awarded Second-Team All-Mountain West. She also earned her second Cowgirl letter award.
In 2011, she was named one of the best and most consistent Cowgirl defenders on the team. Aside from being a key player for the defense, she also was responsible for the high number of shutouts. She played and started in all 22 games during her junior season. Overall, Johnson played 55 career games with 42 starts by the end of her junior season.
Johnson comes into her senior season strong and ready for victory. The team’s overall record is 6-2. With athletes like Jenny Johnson playing for UW’s women’s soccer team, it is possible that Wyoming will have a successful 2012-2013 season.
