Johnston coaching at Toledo - Midland Daily News
Johnston coaching at Toledo
TOLEDO, Ohio  Jennifer Johnston's basketball career has taken her out of the state of Michigan for the first time.
The Beaverton native, who spent the past three season as the assistant men's basketball coach at Oakland University, was hired as a women's assistant coach at the University of Toledo on Wednesday.
The appointment was announced by Rockets head coach Mark Ehlen.
"Jennifer had a unique experience as a men's assistant coach for a very good Oakland program," Ehlen said. "She has been under a great coach in Greg Kampe. At the same time, she has been a winner, whether it be in high school or college."
Johnston joins one of the most successful women's programs in the Midwest. Two years ago, Toledo won the Mid-American Conference regular season and playoff titles. Toledo has played in the MAC Championship game in eight of the past nine seasons.
The Rockets are coming off a 17-11 record last season. Over the past eight seasons, the Rockets are 157-55 and have made four appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Johnston was a standout player for the Beavers in the early 1990s. She earned All-State Class C All-State honors after averaging 28 points a game during her senior year.
After earning All-State prep honors, she starred at Northern Michigan University from 1994-98. During that time, the Wildcats posted a 101-20 record.
Johnston, who graduated from NMU in 1998 with a speech communications degree, helped lead the Wildcats to four straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament titles. NMU reached the "Elite Eight" in 1996 and the Division II Final Four in 1998.
Johnston has served as Oakland's summer basketball camp director for the past two years. She has also worked camps for the Detroit Pistons as well as camps at Northern Michigan and Beaverton High School.
At OU, her primary responsibilities included on-the-floor coaching, scouting, film exchange, recruiting and administration.
Johnston replaces Kim Clark, who resigned on Aug. 2 to pursue a high school coaching career.
The Rockets open the regular season on Nov. 23 against Iona. Toledo visits Michigan State on Nov. 26th, plays at Western Michigan on Feb. 19th and travels to Eastern Michigan on Jan. 11.