RECRUITING: Centennial’s Brown to compete in softball, basketball at Dixie

Johnna Brown drew plenty of recruiting interest to play Division I softball or basketball.

But the Centennial senior signed with Division II Dixie State in order to play both.

“It’s going to be exciting to see how it turns out,” Brown said. “A lot of coaches didn’t want to work with me to play two (sports).”

Brown will be joined in women’s basketball at Dixie State by Centennial teammates Deanna Daniels and Rashawnda Gray, who also signed with the Rebels during the early signing period (Nov. 12 to 19).

“We were fortunate to get (Brown) because she could have played Division I basketball,” said Dixie State coach Angela Kristensen, who envisions the 6-foot Brown playing small forward. “She’ll be one of those special kids. It’s tough to be an impact player as a freshman, but Johnna has the potential to do that.”

At Centennial, Brown is a starting outside hitter in volleyball, forward in basketball and shortstop in softball. She was an all-state selection in basketball and softball as a junior.

“Johnna wanted to go and do multiple sports,” Bulldogs basketball coach Karen Weitz said. “(Dixie State) was kind of the window of opportunity for her.”

Brown was close to scheduling a visit to Florida State for softball but finally sided with Dixie State to play two sports.

Overlap of schedules will be a hurdle with the Rebels. Dixie State’s basketball season ends in March, and softball begins in February.

“The two (Dixie State) coaches talked, and they said, 'We would work it out,’ ” Brown said.

The Centennial basketball team has attended summer camps on the Dixie State campus, which turned out to be a key to the Bulldogs trio signing with the St. George, Utah, school.

“We’d mess around and say, 'If the three of us go here, that’d be pretty cool,’ ” Brown said.

Daniels, a power forward, attracted Division I interest from schools including UC Irvine, Weitz said. Gray, a wing who is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, took a visit to San Diego.

But the chance for the trio to play together in Division II apparently was more appealing than playing separately in Division I.

RECENT SIGNINGS — Other recent signings include Rancho baseball player Justin Neubauer (Southern Utah), Durango baseball player Danny Reynolds (Dixie State), Boulder City basketball player Caitlin Forrester (Colorado State-Pueblo), Silverado softball player Mikayla Thielges (Cal State Northridge), Centennial swimmer Kristen Farbridge-Currie (San Diego State) and Centennial volleyball player Drew Staker (Cal State Northridge).

RUNNING BACK PROSPECTS — Interest is building in senior running backs Kerwynn Williams of Valley and Prince Oroke of Legacy.

Williams has been contacted by Boston College, Brigham Young and UNR, Vikings coach John Elwell said.

UNLV and Division II Colorado School of Mines are looking at Oroke, Longhorns coach David Snyder said.