TERRILYN R. JOHNSON

Terrilyn R. Johnson is a retired professional basketball player and a 1988 graduate of Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Indiana, At Lew Wallace, Johnson scored 1,601 career points and saw her teams combine an 82-7 record while winning three sectionals, one regional and one semi-state. The team also won four conference championships and four holiday tournament championships. Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and two blocks to be named All-State during her senior campaign before joining the Kansas Jayhawks. Her career at Gary Lew Wallace was highlighted by being named Gary Post-Tribune 1st Team All-Area and Parade All-American third team while earning team MVP.

At Kansas, she scored a career 734 points in her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons combined; is sixth all time for single-game steals. Johnson was a standout who helped the Jayhawks win a Big Eight Conference title and reach the NCAA Tournament. She was named the team’s most valuable player following her junior campaign and served as one of KU’s captains as a senior. At Kansas, Johnson earned three letters and led the Jayhawks in rebounding during three seasons. Her 786 (8.6 per game) career rebounds rank 11th in the school record books and she continues to rank No. 7 on KU’s career steals list with 219. Johnson helped Kansas post back-to-back 20-win seasons as a sophomore and junior, winning two games in the 1990-91 Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) before elevating the Marian Washington-led Jayhawks to a Big Eight regular-season title and NCAA Tournament berth as a senior in 1991-92. It was the first of nine straight NCAA berths for the Kansas women’s program.

Johnson played professionally for two seasons before working in business and education – coaching for a stint in the Gary Community School Corporation and at Valparaiso. She was also named to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2024 Induction Class and received recognition as part of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2013 Silver Anniversary Team. She is currently a Supply Chain Analyst and President of the Gary Youth Basketball League.