Ben Johnson is a redshirt junior at ETSU from Nashville, Tennessee, where he attended high school at McGavock High School. Since coming to ETSU, he has decided to major in pre-engineering.
Ben Johnson
(Photograph courtesy of Buc Sports)
“I plan to graduate and do something positive in my community with my degree,” said Johnson.
As far as his sport, Johnson got into track and field because of his mother.
“My mother is a track and field person,” said Johnson. “She inspires me to be great.”
Like most college students, his college decision to go to a school away from home was to get as far away from home as possible. It was a reason that led him to become a Buc.
“I wanted to go to a school that was not too big which is what I liked about ETSU,” said Johnson. “I also like the fact that the classrooms are small, so my professors know me well.”
In four meets in his freshman year, Johnson won the 60-meter hurdles and long jump in the Buccaneer Invitational heptathlon. His sophomore year, Johnson dealt with adversity as he broke his ankle early in the year.
“Coming back from a broken ankle nobody thought I would come back that year [sophomore year],” said Johnson. “I came back and got second in the javelin.”
For Johnson, he feels him breaking his ankle set a fire under him.
“My ankle breaking made me not take the track so lightly,” said Johnson. “It made me want to be the very best I could be on and off the field.”
That same year, Johnson won the javelin at the Western Carolina Invitational and finished second at the SoCon Outdoor Championships.
In his junior year, Johnson competed very well coming in first in three meets. As well as setting a new personal best in the shot put, discus, hammer and weight. He earned first place in the SoCon Outdoor Championship in discus and javelin. He also finished second in the hammer throw.
“I want to continue what I did last season,” said Johnson.
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