May 16, 2005
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State women's basketball head coach Beth Burns announced the signing Monday of 6-2 center Desiree "Dez" Johnson (Oahu, Hawaii) to a national letter of intent. Johnson, a transfer from Los Angeles City College, is Burns' first recruit since taking over the program in early April.
"We are excited to announce Desiree Johnson as our staff's first signee," Burns said. "Dez will bring size, strength and an inside presence that we really need. Coming in as a junior, we are confident that she will make an immediate impact on our team. She is talented, mature and is excited to be joining the Aztecs.
"Our coaches and current student-athletes did a great job of sharing our championship vision. We hope to add one more student-athlete in the late signing period."
Johnson spent two seasons at Los Angeles City College, where she averaged 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds as a sophomore to earn first team all-South Coast Conference honors. She ranked in the top 15 in the conference in scoring and tallied 20 or more points in a game six times in 2004-05.
Johnson played high school basketball at Renton High School in Renton, Wash. Originally from Oahu, Hawaii, her family now resides in the San Diego area. Her sister, Paris, is a 6-4 sophomore basketball player at San Diego High School.
Johnson, who plans to major in public administration and psychology, was also recruited by Arizona, California, Northern Arizona, UNLV and UTEP.
She is the fourth player (first under Burns) to sign with the Aztecs and will join incoming freshmen Lasandra Dixon (Azusa, Calif.), Audrey Green (San Marcos, Calif.) and Tamika Lipford (Oceanside, Calif.) on campus this fall.