Johnston Chosen to New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame

Binghamton head softball coach Michelle Johnston has been elected and named as one of 14 individuals who will be enshrined into the New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame. She will be formally inducted on May 1, 2021 at the Hall of Fame Pavilion in Herkimer, N.Y.
A 1997 graduate of Owego Free Academy, Johnston was a four-time New York State Sportswriter’s Association (NYSSWA) all-state selection.

Since being hired as the head coach at Binghamton in July 2009, Johnston has become the coach with the most wins in program history, with 240 victories. She has led the Bearcats to the 2015 America East championship as well as the 2016 and 2017 regular-season conference titles. Binghamton also advanced to the 2015 NCAA Tournament. In both 2013 and 2016, Johnston led the America East Coaching Staffs of the Year.

In between Johnston’s high school career and her current tenure at Binghamton, she played at the collegiate level at the University of Maryland from 1997-01. With the Terrapins, she earned Regional All-America honors her senior year and in 2002, she was named to the 50th Anniversary Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Team. From 2006-09, Johnston was the head coach at the University of Rochester, where she steered the Yellow Jackets to three consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances.

Johnston is the second member of Binghamton’s current coaching staff to be elected to the New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame. Assistant Coach Sydney O’Hara was honored in 2018.