One of the most athletic players to ever wear a Fairfield women’s basketball uniform will return to the Fairfield sidelines, but in a different role. Two-time All-MAAC First Team forward Taryn Johnson has been announced as the new Director of Women’s Basketball Operations, by Head Coach Joe Frager. Johnson, who was selected as the Region 21 Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year last season with Massasoit Community College, will begin her new role immediately. She will be in charge of all daily operations of the team including travel, overseeing video exchange, and coordinating community activities.
“It feels good to be back,” Johnson said. “I had to jump at the opportunity to work with and learn from Coach Frager because he is an awesome coach. I am looking forward to being able to contribute to a winning program and feel like this will be a good learning experience for me moving forward.”
Johnson started to learn from Frager as she was part of his first recruiting class at Fairfield and earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team during her final two seasons with the Stags. In those two years combined, Johnson averaged a team-high 12.6 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per contest. She finished her career with 1,185 points which places her in the top-20 all-time. Also for her four year career, she showed her presence in the post by connecting on 50 percent of her shots, the fifth best mark for the program.
After graduating, Johnson stayed in the basketball world in almost every single role. She played in Latvia for the Liepajas Papirs and also suited up for her hometown Brockton Lady Thunder of the Blue Chip Basketball League.
After her playing days, Johnson accepted a job as an assistant coach for the Newbury College Nighthawks for one season. Most recently, Johnson spent the last two years as the head coach at Massasoit Community College Warriors, being selected the Region 21 Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year last season.
Johnson re-joins a Fairfield program that has amassed nine-straight conference winning seasons under Frager, who is the only coach in MAAC history to begin his career with nine consecutive winning seasons in conference. The Stags also earned a bid to their fourth Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) national playoff tournament.
“Fairfield became a second home to me in my collegiate years,” Johnson said. “I’m glad to be back in Stag Country.”
Tagged with: DI Ops
