Johnson standing out as a top offensive threat

Scoring leader gives credit to her teammates for her success

Entering her third year as a member of the St. Bonaventure’s women’s lacrosse team, Destinee Johnson was prepared to make her presence felt, not only on St. Bonaventure’s team, but on the A10 conference at large.
Following up her freshman and junior season, in which Johnson tallied a combined eight points, she has made a seismic improvement in her production. Johnson has accumulated 29 points this season with seven games remaining on the schedule.
This spike in production has been a combination of potent scoring attack, coupled with a distributing role, Johnson has found herself in this season.
Johnson said, “Up until this point, I would say I was a scorer, but I had to take on a role of distributor and I guess it is working out.”
The role as a distributor “working out” would be an understatement by Johnson. She has dished out 15 assists, which ranks her fifth in the A10.
Johnson was humble when asked about her assist numbers, saying, “I am not really doing any of the work though, it is really all the girls doing the work for me.”
Being Johnson’s third time through the rigors of a St. Bonaventure lacrosse season, she still feels she is learning how to better herself while the sport of women’s lacrosse itself is still learning and changing with each step.
“I am definitely still learning things every day, the game is changing, and that is the most interesting thing with women’s lacrosse,” said Johnson. “Since I entered college, the game has completely changed. With the shot clock and free movement, we are all adapting.”
As Johnson continues to grow her game, so does the sport as well, but that won’t stop her from becoming the best player she can be. She attributes the growth in her game to the her supporting cast on the field with her.
“A lot of it has had to do with our defenders and the attack surrounding,” said Johnson. “They have really pushed me to be a lot better than I have in the past.”
Johnson credited her teammates for a majority of her successes this season, but she credited some of her improvements and success to “working a lot harder practice than I ever have.”
Compared to past seasons, Johnson feels she is giving 100 percent of her effort, all the time. Whether it is in practice, lifting sessions or in-game, she is constantly giving it her all, and for her, that has been a major factor in her triumph on the field.
As the season for the St. Bonaventure women rolls towards its conclusion, for Johnson the points of emphasis are on improving the team chemistry and staying healthy.
Johnson said, “we are really focusing on recovery, making sure our bodies are good, mental recovery and picking up our speed and the pace of our games.”
Johnson and the team recognize, that in terms of a win-loss record, the team will below where they hoped to be.
“We obviously aren’t going to have a winning season, and we are very aware of that,” said Johnson.
For the rest of the season, the team hopes to continue growing, and for herself, Johnson wants to keep producing on offense and step more into a role in her primary position as midfielder and keep improving her total game.
“I really want back into playing both sides of the field and doing it well,” Johnson said.