Softball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Johns brings a wealth of knowledge to the Bulldog pitchers and catchers, as she was a two-time NFCA All-America catcher for South Carolina. In addition to her work with State’s battery, Johns also manages the equipment and facilities, works with scheduling and assists in the coordination of MSU’s camps and clinics.
“We are extremely fortunate to have a coach the caliber of Karen Johns as a part of our coaching staff. She brings a wealth of knowledge as a collegiate head coach and as an assistant coach with the Olympic Team,” MSU head coach Jay Miller said.
The move to the Bulldog softball program continues a 14-year collegiate coaching career that includes head coaching stints at Florida and most recently Virginia.
Johns returns to the collegiate coaching ranks following a two-year hiatus in which she served as Associate Executive Director of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
During her seven years as a head coach, the Whippany, N.J., native put together a 238-196 record and four NCAA Regional appearances.
Johns coached the Cavaliers for the 2006 and 2007 seasons after bringing Florida to national recognition during a five-year stay.
Over the course of her five years in Gainesville, Johns posted a .594 winning percentage and 192-131 record. She skippered UF to the NCAA Tournament four times. Her 2005 squad ended the year 41-23 and hosted its third NCAA Regional of her tenure.
Prior to landing the head coaching job in Gainesville, Johns got a taste of Southeastern Conference softball in a five-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama. She moved into the position of top assistant in 2000 and helped guide the Crimson Tide to the Women’s College World Series where they came away with a sixth-place finish.
The accomplishments she enjoyed as a part of the Crimson Tide coaching staff helped vault her into the head coaching ranks, but it was a successful tenure as an assistant coach under Joyce Compton, Miller’s mentor at Missouri, that sparked her coaching career.
Johns assisted Compton’s 1993 and 1994 Gamecock squads to a 105-38 record, a pair of NCAA Regional appearances and Regional Coaching Staff of the Year accolades.
A two-year academic counselor in Columbia, Johns earned her master’s degree at the school while serving as a graduate assistant on the 1990 squad that went 49-14 and a student assistant for Carolina’s 1989 team that won 46 games and advanced to the Women’s College World Series.
Her successful coaching tenure follows an equally as impressive resume behind the plate at South Carolina. The two-time NFCA First Team All-American led the Gamecocks in batting average, hits and slugging percentage three-straight years. She still ranks among Carolina’s careers leaders in batting average (.350) and doubles (38).
An outstanding career at USC led her to a heralded tenure as a member of the United States National Team.
Johns earned her first National Team nod in 1989, and she helped that team to gold medals at the U.S. Olympic Festival and the ISF World Championships.
Over the next six years, she went on to capture three more U.S. Olympic Festival gold medals and another ISF World Championship title along with a Pan Am Games championship and the South Pacific Classic gold medal.
In 2005, Johns made the transition from National Team player to an assistant coach with the Red, White and Blue.
She assisted the United States to the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, after helping the squad to a pair of World Cup of Softball titles along with championships at Canada Cup, the Pan Am Games, Japan Cup and ISF World Championships.
This past summer, she served on the U.S. staff under Miller and helped guide the Americans to a berth in the 2010 ISF World Championships and the 2011 Pan Am Games with a gold-medal performance at the Pan Am Qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela.
Born Nov. 19, 1965, the former Karen Sanchelli and her husband, Bobby, have a daughter, Kaci.
Collegiate Coaching Career
- 1989: Student Assistant Coach, University of South Carolina
- 1990: Graduate Assistant Coach, University of South Carolina
- 1993-94: Assistant Coach, University of South Carolina
- 1996-2000: Assistant Coach, University of Alabama
- 2001-05: Head Coach, University of Florida
- 2006-07: Head Coach, University of Virginia
- 2009-present: Assistant Coach, Mississippi State University
International Coaching Career
- Selected United States National Team assistant coach in 2005
- Helped lead the U.S. to two World Cup of Softball titles
- Coached the United States' Canada Cup, Pan Am Games, Japan Cup and ISF World Championships gold medal squads
- Assisted the U.S. National Team that won the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, in 2008
- Served on the United States' Pan Am Qualifier Team that won the gold medal in Maracay, Venezuela
Collegiate Playing Career
- Four-year player at the University of South Carolina
- Two-time NFCA First Team All-American
- Led the Gamecocks in batting average and slugging percentage three-straight years
- Ranks among South Carolina's career leaders in batting average (.350) and doubles (38)
International Playing Career
- Captured four U.S. Olympic Festival gold medals with the United States National Team
- Led the U.S. to two ISF World Championships titles
- Won gold medals at the Pan Am Games and South Pacific Classic
