2006 BYU Hall of Fame

Even before Charlene Johnson donned her No. 16 BYU women's volleyball jersey as a freshman in 1991, everyone knew the 5-foot-10 setter was a force to be reckoned with.

Already a three-time high school All-American out of Pleasant Grove, Utah, Johnson did not disappoint as a freshman starter. She took on her setting duties with an iron will, leading the Cougars to a 26-5 overall record and second-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference. As the honors poured in for the young Johnson -- WAC Freshman of the Year, All-WAC First Team, AVCA All-West Region Second Team and Asics/Volleyball Monthly Freshman All-America Team -- it became obvious that BYU fans were witnessing the emergence of a star.

And emerge she did. Over the course of the following three seasons, Johnson continued to provide the complete package to the BYU women's volleyball program, delighting fans, racking up awards and, most importantly, leading the Cougars to success. Honored as an All-WAC selection in each of her four seasons and the recipient of four All-America citations, Johnson also earned the distinction of becoming the only women's volleyball player in program history to earn All-Region accolades during all four years of her BYU playing career.

BYU's second-place WAC finish in her freshman year did not last long with Johnson directing the Cougar attack. A 1992 league title was the first of three straight for the Cougars, who also saw success on the national level as they advanced to the NCAA's Elite Eight in 1992 and the Final Four in 1993. Johnson earned NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team honors both years and NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team accolades in 1993 as she recorded an eye-popping 65 assists against UCLA to propel her team to the Final Four. Her career culminated in 1994 with WAC Player of the Year honors in addition to All-Region and All-America recognition.

A two-time Cougar Club Competitor Award recipient, Johnson's incredible numbers left their mark on the BYU record books. She is second all-time in three categories, including career assists (5,321), career assists per game (12.35) and season assists per game (13.13), a mark that was also fifth in the nation in 1992.

Johnson's stellar career did not end with her college eligibility. In 1995, she served as an undergraduate assistant coach at BYU before leaving to play professionally overseas for two years in Switzerland and Italy. Johnson returned to her native country in 1997 and began a five-year stint with the U.S. National Team, which included a fourth-place finish at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia.

After leaving the National Team, Johnson used her skills to help others, serving as an assistant coach at Nebraska, perennially considered one of the top teams in the nation, from 2003-06. The Huskers won three Big 12 championships during that time in addition to finishing national runners-up in 2005 and as national champions in 2006.

She also served as an assistant coach at BYU in 2015.

A 1999 BYU graduate with a B.A. in therapeutic recreation, Johnson has three children: Kaipo, Vailin, and Sydney.

• One of the three prep volleyball players in the 1991 U.S. Olympic Festival
• Started at setter for BYU and logged 1310 assists
• Named to Boise State Labor Day Classic All-Tournament Team
• named to BYU Mizuno Challenge All-Tournament Team
• Named to the UTA Comfort Inn All-Tournament Team
• Named Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year
• First Team All-WAC
• AVCA Secont Team All-West Region
• Asics/Volleyball Monthly All-Freshman Team

• Voted to the Mizuno Classic All-Tournament Team
• Voted to the All-Tournament Team of the San Diego Invitational
• Selected to the NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team
• Second Team All-WAC
• Second Team All-West Region
• Fifth in the nation in assists per game (13.125)

• Voted to the all-tournament teams of two invitationals
• WAC Player of the Week (Nov. 15-20)
• Made the NCAA West Regional and NCAA Championship All-Tournament teams 
• Selected First Team All-WAC and All-West Region
• Third Team Asics/Volleyball Monthly All-America
• First Team AVCA All-America
• Given the Cougar Club Competitor Award
• Averaged 12.43 assists per game and 2.85 digs per game 
• NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team
• Selected Utah Chapter National Multiple Scelerosis Society Society Outstanding Female Athlete
• Played on USA National "A" developmental team in summer tournaments in Japan and China
• Career match high of 75 assists set in the NCAA semifinal match against Penn State
• Other career match highs of 23 digs, six blocks and four aces

• Tri-captain of the team
• WAC Player of the Year
• Earned WAC Player of the Week honors twice (Aug. 29-Sept. 3, Oct. 24-29)
• Second Team AVCA All-American
• AVCA First Team All-West
• MVP of Colorado Powerbar Classic
• All-Tournament Team of BYU Mizuno Challenge
• Became BYU's all-time leader in career assists hitting 5,000 in the same game Coache Elaine Michaelis notcher her 700th win
• Ended the season with 5,321 assists to rank in the top 30 nationally in career assists
• Led the Cougars to their third consecutive WAC title 
• Entered the NCAA tournament with an 18-match winning streak and a No. 8 ranking
• Ranked in the top-10 in assists (12.56 per game), digs (2.10) and aces (.31) in conferences games
• Asics/Volleyball Monthly Third Team All-American
• Earned the Cougar Club Competitor Award