Former Wisconsin infielder Taylor Johnson is transferring to North Carolina State, she announced via social media on Wednesday.
Johnson entered the portal on January 25th, and made her decision less than a month later. She entered the portal with a graduate transfer designation, and while she will not play in 2021, she will have two years of eligibility remaining at NC State.
During the last three seasons at Wisconsin, Johnson served primarily as the Badgers’ starting third baseman. She earned All-Freshman honors from the Big Ten in 2018, and followed that up with nods to the all-conference and all-region first teams in 2019. She had a career year in 2019, batting .341 with fourteen home runs and forty-seven RBIs. Johnson also stole fifteen bases as a sophomore, and recorded ten doubles that same season. During the shortened 2020 campaign, Johnson was unable to get her momentum going, batting .195 with three home runs and eight RBIs. She posted a slugging percentage of .364 on the abbreviated year.
In the summer of 2020, Johnson played in the inaugural summer season of the Florida Gulf Coast League. Suiting up for the Manatee Squeeze, Johnson was selected as a league All-Star and won the league’s inaugural Home Run Derby.
At North Carolina State, Johnson will join a power-centered offense that has become head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift’s trademark. The Wolfpack finished the shortened 2020 season with a 19-6 overall record.
