San Antonio, Texas----- Dr. Stacey Johnson, a 1980 U.S. Olympian and San Jose State University four-time All-America fencer, was one of eight recipients of a 2021 NCAA Final Four Legacy Celebration award in conjunction with the men's and women's championship basketball tournaments.
Since 2014, the NCAA began this awards program to highlight career accomplishments and civic involvement of former student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and community leaders in the cities hosting one of the Final Four basketball championships.
This NCAA Final Four Legacy Celebration award is the second NCAA honor for Dr. Johnson based on her career accomplishments. In 2004, she was named a Silver Anniversary Award winner recognizing former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves since completing a college athletics career 25 years previous to the award.
For the 1980 Spartan graduate who majored in public relations, she was a two-time National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association individual champion and helped San Jose State win four national team championships. A past president of the U.S. Fencing Association from 2000 to 2004, she was the first woman to serve as the organization's president for four terms.
During her presidency, she led an international campaign to bring equity to women in her sport. At the 2004 Athens Olympics Games, women had the same opportunity for the first time to compete in foil, saber and epee disciplines.
"When I was competing in the '70's until about the mid '80's, women were allowed only to compete in foil. From where I sat, that was blatantly unfair. The rationales used to prevent women's access were pretty silly back then," she said. "To make these changes, I believed I needed to get involved and to model the way forward."
Dr. Johnson has a master's degree in communications from Incarnate Word University and her doctorate in educational administration from the University of Texas. She served on the U.S. Olympic Committee's Board of Director from 1996 to 2004 and was a member of the USOC's Executive Committee in 2003 and 2004. She founded "Dreams for Youth" San Antonio Sports Foundation which serves more than 100,000 in the San Antonio metropolitan area.
She was a vice-president of academic affairs at Palo Alto College in San Antonio and president of Valencia College in Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Johnson is a member of several Halls of Fame including the San Jose State Sports, the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-America, the San Antonio Sports and the Institute for International Sport Halls of Fame. She stays connected with San Jose State University as a member of the university's Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change (ISSSSC) Advisory Board.
Dr. Johnson was honored with former University of Texas women's basketball player Dr. Virginia Caine; Clarissa Davis-Wrightsill; Colorado State women's basketball alumna and current San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon; pastor Jeffrey Johnson, Sr.; former Black Coaches Association executive director Floyd Keith; Indiana state assemblyman Greg Porter; and Major General Angie Salinas.
"These eight individuals are trailblazers, leaders, accomplished athletes and community warriors, and we celebrate them as role models and beacons of society. They have certainly enhanced the communities of San Antonio and Indianapolis, where our Final Fours are being played this year. Their will and determination inspire us all," said Derrick Gragg, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement.