Emma Johnson Returns to Kent State as Assistant Softball Coach
7/26/2017 5:05:00 PM | Softball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State alumna Emma Johnson ('15) has joined the Golden Flashes' softball coaching staff as an assistant coach, head coach Eric Oakley announced on Wednesday (July 26) afternoon. Johnson, who spent the last two summers playing for the Pennsylvania Rebellion of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), will work with the Golden Flashes' pitching staff.
"We are excited to have Emma return to Kent State as our pitching coach," Oakley said. "Her career as a student-athlete speaks for itself. However, it is her experience as an instructor, as well as her time playing professionally, that are going to benefit our up-and-coming pitching staff. She has a great eye for mechanics and will be able to build our pitching staff in a very positive way. I enjoyed my time working with Emma during the 2015 season, and I look forward to working with her and Coach Pettipiece to continue the strong tradition of Kent State Softball on and off the field."
One of the greatest pitchers in the history of the Mid-American Conference, Johnson is one of just four student-athletes to earn multiple Pitcher of the Year honors. She was a two-time NFCA All-Mideast Region Second Team selection and a four-time all-conference performer. As a senior, Johnson garnered Academic All-America® Second Team recognition and received the Janet Bachna Award, which is presented to the Kent State senior female student-athlete who displays athletic, academic and leadership excellence.
"I am excited to join the coaching staff at Kent State and grateful for the opportunity to return to my alma mater," Johnson said. "I can't wait to get to work and give back to the program that shaped me as a student-athlete."
The ace of the pitching staff as soon as she arrived on campus, Johnson ranks among the top five in almost every pitching category in Kent State's record book. She ranks in the top 20 in MAC history in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, complete games, games started and appearances.
Johnson's distinguished collegiate career was capped by a senior campaign in which she led a pitching staff that had the nation's third-lowest earned run average (ERA), as Kent State went 41-13 and captured the first of back-to-back MAC regular season championships. She ranked in the top five nationally in ERA, strikeouts per seven innings pitched, hits allowed per seven innings pitched and shutouts.
Her senior season highlights included two no-hitters, three one-hitters, a two-hit shutout at No. 15 UCF in which she tied the school record with 18 strikeouts, a three-hit shutout at national runner-up No. 3 Michigan and a 40-inning streak in which she did not allow a run to score.
Johnson played professionally for two seasons with the Pennsylvania Rebellion after being selected with the 25th pick in the 2015 NPF Draft. As a rookie, she threw 66.0 innings and recorded the league's seventh-best ERA (2.23) while leading the Rebellion in wins (4) and opponent batting average (.189).
A native of Groveport, Ohio, Johnson has provided pitching instruction at Mannino's Grand Slam USA in nearby Dublin since 2013.
