The Pitt soccer program introduced its two recipients of the Ed Conway Award on Saturday forward of the Blue-Gold Game. The Ed Conway Award is given yearly to the 2 most improved gamers all through spring apply on either side of the ball.
Karter Johnson is a 6’2″ and 265-pound redshirt senior tight finish out of Pickerington, OH. Johnson is in his second yr with this system after transferring to Pitt after a cease at Butler Community College in Kansas. He caught six passes for 89 yards within the 2022 season after showing in 12 video games. Johnson as used principally in a blocking function, however given his progress this spring, he’s wanting so as to add a go catching aspect to his recreation in 2023.
“Karter has actually devoted himself to turning into an all-around tight finish at Pitt,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi mentioned in a press launch. “He made some actually nice strides this spring and I count on that to proceed into his last season. His progress has been so spectacular, particularly contemplating he began his school profession on the defensive position.”
Johnson has a novel backstory. He was as soon as a big-time defensive position recruit out of highschool and began his profession initially at TCU. After dropping some weight, he devoted himself to enjoying offense and earned a scholarship supply out of the junior school ranks.
On the defensive facet of the ball, sophomore defensive finish Nahki Johnson collected Conway Award honors for his efficiency this spring. Johnson is a local of close by West Mifflin and was one of many program’s most prized recruits within the class of 2021.
Johnson has but to make an influence on the sphere, nonetheless, however he was behind some gifted defensive linemen. With the commencement of Deslin Alexandre and Habakkuk Baldonado and the switch of John Morgan, Pitt has extra enjoying time out there at finish and Johnson is making a case to obtain a few of these reps subsequent season.
“Nahki actually began to flash throughout our Sun Bowl practices final December,” Narduzzi mentioned. “He continued that momentum this spring and is able to be an element on our defensive entrance. Playing behind veterans Deslin Alexandre and Habakkuk Baldonado the previous two years gave him nice examples to be taught from and he is able to put that to make use of this yr.”
Johnson was a four-star recruit within the class of 2021. He appeared in two video games as a real freshman, which meant he was in a position to preserve his redshirt in tact. Johnson received extra run as a redshirt freshman and recorded 4 tackles in eight video games within the 2022 season.
Pitt concludes its 2023 Spring soccer session this afternoon, because the Blue-Gold recreation is about to kickoff in little over an hour.
