Ashleigh Johnson

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Ashleigh Johnson
Ashleigh Johnson prepares for synchronized swimming.jpg
Johnson in 2021
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1994-09-12) September 12, 1994 (age 27)
Miami, Florida
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[1]
Sport
Country United States
SportWater polo
PositionGoalkeeper
College teamPrinceton University
ClubEthnikos
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Kazan Team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Gwangju Team
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Lima Team

Ashleigh Elizabeth Johnson (born September 12, 1994) is an American water polo player considered by many[who?] to be the best goalkeeper in the world. She was part of the American team that won the gold medal at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships.[2][3] In 2016, she became the first African-American woman to make the US Olympic team in water polo. She was part of the gold-medal winning 2016 and 2020 U.S. women's water polo Olympic teams.[4][5]

Family[]

Johnson was raised by her mother, Donna Johnson. Johnson grew up with four siblings (three brothers and one sister), all of whom play water polo. Her brothers are Blake, Julius and William. Her younger sister Chelsea, is a 2 Meter player and played with Johnson at Princeton. Chelsea graduated from Princeton in 2018 and continues to be involved with water polo in Miami.[6][7]

About her decision to play goalie in water polo, Johnson shared with Princeton Alumni Weekly her goalie origins trace back to her sister Chelsea:

I was just copying her, I wasn't choosing to go in the goal because it was anything that appealed to me in particular.[8]

Water polo career[]

High school[]

Johnson was raised in Miami, Florida and attended Ransom Everglades School for high school. At Ransom Everglades, she was a four-year letter winner and starter on her school's team guiding them to three consecutive Florida State Championships. She also earned All-Dade honors throughout career, while also earning all-county honors twice in swimming.[6]

As a senior, Johnson committed to play water polo at Princeton University.

Collegiate career[]

In her first year she was named Third-Team All American, while earning Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2014, and Second Team as a junior in 2015.[6]

2016 Summer Olympics[]

See also: Water polo at the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place tournament team

Johnson was the first African-American woman to make the US Olympic water polo team when she made the team for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[9] The geographical diversity Johnson brought to the team, she was the only team member not from California, was highlighted by SwimSwam before the Olympic Games.[10] Her age, 21 years old, and with her sub-Saharan African ancestry, she identifies as Black, were highlighted by Sports Illustrated leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games.[11] She helped the team win the gold medal at the Olympic Games.[9]

Orizzonte Catania, Italy[]

From January 2018 she has been hired by the Orizzonte Catania, the most titled club in Europe in recent times. She lives and trains in Italy for Orizzonte Catania during the season, training in the United States in the off-season.[12]

Awards[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Ashleigh Johnson". teamusa.org. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "Meet The Goalie Changing The Face Of USA Water Polo". Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  3. ^ "BCN 2015 USA Women's Water Polo Team" (PDF). Omega Timing. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  4. ^ Robertson, Linda (August 19, 2016). "Rio Olympics: Miami's Ashleigh Johnson leads U.S. to water polo gold". Miami Herald. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  5. ^ Sheinin, Dave (August 15, 2016). "Ashleigh Johnson makes a different kind of history in the pool". Retrieved January 5, 2017 – via washingtonpost.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Ashleigh Johnson - Women's Water Polo - Princeton University Athletics". goprincetontigers.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  7. ^ "Chelsea Johnson - Women's Water Polo - Princeton University Athletics". goprincetontigers.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Feil, Justin (March 22, 2017). "Women's Water Polo: An Inseparable Pair". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Ashleigh Johnson was the first Black athlete to become a member of the U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo Team". usopm.com. January 29, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  10. ^ Lepesant, Anne (June 17, 2016). "Interview With World's Top Goalkeeper: Team USA's Ashleigh Johnson". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  11. ^ Chavez, Chris (July 29, 2016). "USA eyes double gold in water polo at Rio Olympics". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Randazzo, Michael (January 5, 2020). "Di Fulvio, Johnson Are Swimming World's Top Men's and Women's Water Polo Players for 2019". Swimming World. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Johnson Named Swimming World Magazine Female Water Polo Player of the Year". Princeton University. January 5, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  14. ^ "Ashleigh Johnson Named Swimming World Magazine's Female Water Polo Player Of The Year". USA Water Polo. January 5, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  15. ^ Brien, Taylor (January 4, 2017). "Swimming World Presents the 2016 Aquatic Athletes of the Year". Swimming World. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  16. ^ "Ashleigh Johnson Named Swimming World's Female Water Polo Player Of The Year For 2016". USA Water Polo. January 12, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  17. ^ Sutherland, James (December 2, 2021). "Simone Manuel Named To Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports Class Of 2022". SwimSwam. Retrieved December 2, 2021.

External links[]

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