SPARKILL, N.Y. – Rayven Johnson has been named Assistant Director of Athletics for Academic Success at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Director of Athletics Nicole Ryan announced on Thursday.
Johnson will assist with the academic advising of the College’s student-athletes in conjunction with the Office of Academic Services and will be responsible for counseling student-athletes on academic goals and concerns, serving as a liaison between the Athletic Department and Academic Success Office. She will also monitor student-athletes’ personal and academic development and will coordinate all aspects of academic support for St. Thomas Aquinas College student-athletes to ensure maximum opportunity for academic success.
"We are excited to have Rayven join the Spartan Athletics family, as our new Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Success", said Director of Athletics Nicole Ryan. "Our student-athletes will benefit greatly from Rayven's counseling on academic matters, as well as her insight and experiences as a former college athlete."
Johnson recently served as Assistant Director of Athletics and Head Women's Basketball Coach at Division III Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown, New Jersey (2020-21).
Prior to her time at Saint Elizabeth, Johnson was an Assistant Coach at Division II Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, where she helped lead the Dolphins to a 19-9 record in 2019-20 including the program's second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. She led all recruiting efforts and oversaw the graduate and assistant coaches while working in conjunction with the institution's NCAA compliance office.
In addition, Johnson began her coaching career with stops at Division I Fairleigh Dickinson and spent two seasons as an assistant at her alma mater, Division I New Jersey Institute of Technology. Following her undergraduate career with the Highlanders, Johnson spent three years playing professionally for TK Hanover in Germany. She led Hannover to the club's first Second Bundesliga North championship title in the 2015-16 season. In her first season with the club, she led Hannover in scoring (19.0 ppg), free throws made (145) and field goals made (131). She was named All-Second Bundesliga North Second Team and Second Bundesliga North All-Imports Team.
During her college career at NJIT, she led the Highlanders to their only postseason title in program history by capturing the Great West Conference Tournament crown her senior season. She was named the 2013 tournament MVP following her team's title victory in addition to earning ECAC All-Metro Second Team honors. She finished her career with 1,248 points, second-most in the program's Division I era and fourth all-time, along with 852 rebounds, tops in program history in the Division I era and second all-time.
Johnson graduated from NJIT with a bachelor's degree in business management and a minor in communications in 2013.
"I am extremely grateful and excited about the opportunity to join the St. Thomas Aquinas Athletic Department", said Johnson. "I am looking forward to working with our staff to ensure our student-athletes are in the best position possible to excel both academically and athletically. I want to thank Director of Athletics, Nicole Ryan, for this opportunity to be a part of the team."