On this day in 2020, Georgia Johnson earned her 71st career victory as a Georgia State beach volleyball player, best for fifth-most in program history. This week we caught up with the Australian to discuss her GSU experience and what she has been up to since graduating last May.
Johnson joined the Panthers in downtown Atlanta as a freshman. Thousands of miles away from home, Johnson felt comfortable with the GSU coaching staff from the beginning. This was vital in Johnson's transition to the States.
"Beth (Van Fleet) was definitely the reason I chose GSU," said Johnson. "Being so young and moving so far away from home, it was important to my family and I to trust the coach I was going to be playing for. After our first video chat with Beth, we knew Georgia State was going to be the fit for me."
Along with adapting to a new culture, Johnson made an immediate impact in the sand during her rookie campaign. She accumulated 21 wins, primarily with partner and then fellow freshmen Olivia Stasevich. The rookies were named to the CCSA 2017 All-Tournament Team after they recorded a 3-1 record at the CCSA Tournament to close the season.
Johnson would continue to make an impact throughout her time at GSU, as she tallied 21 wins in 2018 and 2019. During the abbreviated 2020 season, she added seven wins. Johnson last competed in blue and white during the 2020 GSU Day of Duals. In what would be the final match of her career, Johnson and Kaylee McClure defeated Mercer in position No. 2. This marked her 71st win and a coveted spot in the program record book. Not only was she a fierce competitor, but a vocal leader and a consistent source of positivity for the team.
After the season was halted due to COVID-19, Johnson returned to Australia. Upon graduation from Georgia State, she started pursuing an additional degree in chemical and environmental engineering at the University of Queensland. She will graduate from the program in December 2023. While in school, Johnson has continued her beach career, playing on the Australian and Queensland Tour. Over the last weekend, Johnson won the Queensland Open, which is the largest event in the state.
Johnson is enjoying watching and cheering on her former GSU teammates from the other side of the world. Despite the time change and a busy schedule, Johnson always finds a way to tune in to watch her favorite team.
"I am loving watching the Sandy Panthers grind it out from down under," said Johnson. "I was playing a tournament over the weekend and watched some of the win over ranked FAU right before I played my semifinal and it HYPED ME UP!"
