Jennifer Johnstone - Field Hockey Coach - Michigan State University Athletics

Jennifer Johnstone

Title:
Volunteer Assistant Coach
Phone:
432-1212

Jennifer Johnstone joined the Michigan State field hockey program as a volunteer assistant coach in August 2017, bringing with her a wealth of coaching and playing experience at various levels.

Serving on head coach Helen Knull’s staff for four seasons, Johnstone arrived in East Lansing following one-year stints as a volunteer assistant with Central Michigan (2015) and James Madison (2014). At JMU, she served as the recruiting coordinator for head coach Christy Morgan’s program and helped the Dukes to a 12-8 record, reaching the CAA Championship.

Johnstone has experience as a head coach, most recently at Division III Husson University for three seasons. During her time with the Eagles, Johnstone guided the program to the 2011 North Atlantic Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance, and followed that by winning the 2012 NAC regular season title. Johnstone oversaw 11 all-conference selections during her tenure and mentored Sabrina Vaillancourt to back-to-back NFHCA All-American honors. Johnstone herself was named NAC Coach of the Year following the 2012 campaign. Academically, Johnstone’s squads earned the NFHCA Academic Team Award in all three seasons and racked up 30 all-academic selections.

Before Husson, Johnstone spent the 2010 season as the head coach at Frostburg State and two years as the head coach for Kenyon College. At Kenyon, she led the Ladies to 18 wins with an appearance in the North Coast Athletic Conference championship game in 2008. Additionally, Johnstone had 12 players earn All-NCAC selections during her tenure, with five Ladies receiving NFHCA All-Region honors.

Prior to Johnstone’s stint with Kenyon, she served as assistant coach for Ohio Wesleyan (2006-08) helping the team to a 10-7 record in 2007, its best finish in eight years.

The Dallas, Pa., native started her collegiate coaching career in the Ivy League, serving as an assistant coach at both Brown (2004-06) and Cornell (2003-04). In her final year with Brown, she helped guide the team to a 9-7 record with three All-Ivy League selections.

In addition to her collegiate experience, Johnstone has had a variety of coaching roles at the amateur level, highlighted by coaching the U.S. Field Hockey Team at the 2017 and 2018 AAU Junior Olympic Games. She has also served USA Field Hockey Regional Futures Manager for Region 9 and head coach of Michigan’s Level 1 North Futures training site. She has been involved with coaching high performance and has served as a selector for a number of years at USA Field Hockey’s National Futures Tournament.

A four-year letterwinner during her playing career at Maine, Johnstone was a three-time NFHCA Regional All-American and two-time First Team All-America East selection, leading the Black Bears in scoring twice. She was also a member of the 2005 and 2006 EPTC New England Fire Olympic Development team.

Johnstone is a 2003 graduate of the University of Maine (Orono), earning her bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a concentration in mathematics. She earned her master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan in 2018.