SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Zephyr announced the hiring of Jo Johnson as the club's first head coach ahead of their inaugural season in Spokane. Johnson has been an assistant coach at the University of Tulsa since 2021.
“We undertook an extensive process to find just the right fit for our organization, and for Spokane,” said Katie Harnetiaux, President of USL Spokane and principal of Aequus Sports. “It was clear from our first meeting that Jo was a candidate of talent and vision whose qualities and style of play align with our plans for Spokane Zephyr FC. We are delighted she agreed to join us, and we are very excited for her to get to work on the upcoming season.”
Johnson is originally from Phoenix where she played midfield at Paradise Valley Community College. She was named an All-American before transferring to the University of Texas El Paso. At UTEP, she was named Defensive Player of the Year, MVP, and won the Leadership Award. She also was named to the C-USA All-Conference Team.
Training camp for the Zephyr begins in July and Johnson says she is ready to hit the ground running, “I'm really excited to meet the players and see where they are in their walks of life and mentor them not only as players but as people,” Johnson said. “It’s just an honor to represent the Spokane community and I’m grateful to be a part of this historic moment in women's sports.”
The Zephyr’s first USL Super League match will be at ONE Spokane Stadium on Saturday, August 17 against Fort Lauderdale United FC.
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