Utah Valley University head coach Dan Nielson has announced the hiring of Paisley Johnson-Harding to his coaching staff. Johnson-Harding was a standout player at BYU from 2017-22 and most recently has been on staff at Timpview High School in Provo.
“I’m thrilled to add someone to our Wolverine family with the playing experience that Paisley has,” said Nielson. “When I coached her in college she brought a contagious enthusiasm and passion for the game that I’m sure she’ll bring each day as a coach. Paisley knows me and our system well and will be able fit in seamlessly. She will no doubt make an instant impact on our guard development and program as a whole!”
“I couldn’t be more excited to be part of UVU and the women’s basketball program and to start my collegiate coaching career under Dan Nielson,” Johnson-Harding said. “I was privileged to be coached by him during the start of my own collegiate playing career. I’m very grateful to him for seeing the value I can add to his staff, and I’m humbled to be able to learn from this coaching staff and team. UVU is a place for everyone and I’m glad I have the opportunity to make lifelong memories with this team. Go Wolverines!”
Johnson-Harding was a four-time All-West Coast Conference selection, three of which were first-team honors during her final three seasons at BYU. She was also named the WCC Tournament MVP after leading the team to the tournament championship in 2019. Johnson-Harding was part of three NCAA Tournament teams while at BYU, where she ranks sixth in program history with 1,938 points scored and is first all-time in games played for the Cougars.
Following her collegiate career, she spent training camp with the WNBA’s Seattle Storm in 2022 before playing professionally in Germany’s top league for the GiroLive Panthers in Osnabrück for the 2022-23 season.
A native of Everett, Washington, she is married to former UVU men’s basketball player Connor Harding. She graduated from BYU in 2022 with a degree in sociology.
