Georgia native Mykeah Johnson crossed the graduation stage in the ETSU mini-dome on March 6, marking the ceremonial passage from one phase of her life to another.
“I’m ready,” Johnson said. “It’s been a long four years. I’m excited for the next chapter in my life, and I hope God brings me nothing but blessings.”
A senior outfielder for the Bucs, Johnson majored in sports management at ETSU, and her long-term goal is to be a college athletic director.
Johnson’s softball story began when she was about 6 years old, when she picked up both softball and basketball at New Hope Elementary. Johnson felt that basketball was her first love and decided to drop softball, but she couldn’t run from softball for long.
Her family and friends pushed her to pick up the bat again, and she got back on the field when she entered sixth grade at North Whitfield Middle School and has played non-stop ever since. Outside of school ball, she participated in tee-ball and travel ball as well.
“My parents loved sports, and I just kept it going,” Johnson said. “It’s been a tradition. My older brother played sports too.”
In high school, Johnson started four years at Northwest Whitfield High School and captured a state championship during her senior year. In addition to a state championship, she was an All-Area and All-Region performer her last three years of high school and she played in the Georgia/Tennessee All Star game.
Outside of sports, academics were held at a high standard in the Johnson home. Mykeah brought these standards with her to college as she was selected as a member of the SoCon Honor Roll her junior season.
This year she won breakthrough athlete of the year. She went from starting four games, 11 at bats, two runs and three RBI’s her junior year to now starting every game so far, 134 at bats, 34 runs and 17 RBI’s.
“I think it was worth it because I got a good education out of it,” Johnson said. “I think that’s what really kept me going also because education was big in my family. In our society without education you can’t really get too far, so I was just blessed that softball got me the education to start and finish my career goals and my life dreams.”
Her undergraduate days came to an end May 6, but her season will continue until the Southern Conference Championship tournament on May 10.
“I’ll be a first-generation college graduate so that’s a big accomplishment for me and my family,” Johnson said. “I’m just blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to come here and play softball and get my education also.”
