Incoming freshman McKenna Johnson, who signed a National Letter of Intent with Minnesota in November, has graduated early from high school and joined the Golden Gophers program.
Johnson, who will wear No. 7 for the Gophers, has been cleared to practice with the team and will travel with the program throughout the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
“Enrolling early is something that has become a little more common here recently and we are thrilled to welcome McKenna to campus as we start the second semester,” said head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. “Academically, McKenna is a really strong student and enrolling early allows her to get a head start on her studies leading into next season when she begins to compete on the court for the Gophers. As a basketball player, McKenna is a tough and talented young lady and her being able to acclimate to our team, system, and strength and conditioning program is another advantage that she will enjoy by joining us early. By joining us for practice daily, she will be able to compete and help our team prepare for Big Ten play and that will help both her and our current roster. We believe that McKenna will be able to expand her own game, gain familiarity with her teammates and coaches, and we could not be more excited to watch her develop in all facets of her game over the next semester!”
An elite shooter out of the state of Wisconsin, Johnson brings a dynamic game to the Gophers as the No. 60 ranked recruit in the latest 2024 ESPN top 100 rankings. In her most recent season, the 5-9 guard averaged 26.1 points, 10 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.0 assists per contest. The Wilmot, Wis., native played for the Wisconsin Flight Elite program, where she helped lead the program to the EYBL Final Four this past summer. At Wilmot Union, Johnson was a three-time All-Conference performer and was named to the All-State team after her junior season. She was selected as her high school team’s MVP for three consecutive years and won a regional championship in 2021. Johnson, who is one of seven children, is the daughter of Amy and Scott Johnson.
“I chose the University of Minnesota because I connected well with Coach Plitzuweit and the entire coaching staff,” Johnson said. “I really like the style of play that they bring, and I love the campus, the beautiful facilities and the great academic programs that Minnesota offers.”
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
