A Two-Sport Success Story
MOORHEAD, Minn. --- Multi-sport athletes are decreasing across the country. There is a sweeping trend that says kids have to specialize in a single sport – but Cobber senior Olivia Johnson has shown that it doesn't have to be that way.
Two days after she was awarded the basketball honor she posted a runner-up finish in the shot put at the MIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships to earn her second All-Conference honor in 48 hours.
Did we mention in two different sports? Yeah.
Even Michael Jordan couldn't cut it in two sports.
A four-sport athlete at Richland, N.D., who also played travel softball in the summer, Johnson didn't even want to become a Cobber. One of her older brothers was at Concordia so she purposely toured it last. She fell in love with the campus and the people and could no longer deny the fact she was born to be corn.
Her success comes as no surprise once one knows her family's background.
Johnson's mother played volleyball at NDSCS in Wapheton and her father had a scholarship at MSU Moorhead to play football and run track. Even after he tore up his ankle in a pick-up basketball game he transferred to NDSU and was part of their baseball team.
Olivia began playing t-ball as early as four years old and was always trying to catch up with her brothers Jon and Connor.
The youngest of three, Johnson spent her childhood constantly trying to compete with her older brothers.
She describes it as "suck it up or don't play with us", and that mentality is what has gotten her to where she is now.
"Most of the games ended with me crying and running inside because I was a bad loser, but they were building blocks for me," Johnson said.
Johnson grew up watching her older brothers in all their games, itching for her shot – her chance. She even went along with her father to watch all of his slow-pitch softball games.
She just wanted to play.
Johnson's exposure to tougher competition and a family immersed in sports drove her to success in high school. She was a two-time state champion in shot put and a three-time all-district selection in volleyball.
Now she's received multiple All-MIAC awards in two sports, but the best is yet to come for the mathematical finance major.
Johnson is ready to compete in her final conference competition as she will participate in the MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Meet this weekend.
Like the true multi-sport athlete she is, Johnson is entered in four different events. She will compete in the shot put, javelin, discus and hammer throw. Johnson enters the MIAC meet ranked in the top 6 in the conference in all four events. She holds the top mark in both the shot put and hammer throw.
Johnson is also currently ranked ninth in all of NCAA Division III in the shot put and 17th in the javelin and is poised to make her fourth trip to the NCAA Outdoor National Meet.
Even though she has had a high level of success in both basketball and track and field Johnson is just happy she's received the opportunities to compete – thanks to her coaches and teammates.
"I'm lucky that we have good coaches and teammates. that would let me do that (participate in two sports)." said Johnson, "They understand this is a Division III school and it's academics first then sports second. They made it work and I couldn't be happier about it."
Written by Sports Information Intern Austin Hawkins