Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Johnson Smith, Dia
Dia Johnson Smith
- Induction:
- 2005
- Class:
- 1996
The first women's soccer player to be inducted into the Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame, Dia Johnson Smith is easily one of the greatest players in the history of the program. By the time she graduated from Lehigh in 1996, Dia Johnson held every single season and career scoring record.
At the time of her graduation, Johnson established the school record for goals scored in a season (15), goals in a career (37), assists in a single season (10), career assists (25), points in a season (32), career points (99), game-winning goals in a season (4), and career game-winning goals (8).
“Every time Dia stepped onto the field, her passion for the game was obvious,” said Audrey Aloi '99, who was a freshman on the women's soccer team at Lehigh when Johnson was a senior in the fall of 1995. “Her drive and tenacity were unmatched by any of our opponents. You just knew other teams in the Patriot League would formulate elaborate defensive plays to try and stop her. As a captain, Dia led by example. Nobody worked harder than her in practice. She never gave up, ever, no matter the score. Dia reminded all of her teammates why we were there: because we loved the game. Watching her, you'd never forget that.”
It should come as no surprise that Johnson had the capability of being a major impact on the young program. At Quakertown (Pa.) High School, she was two-time all-state selection while leading her team to two division championships. As a senior, Johnson scored a school record 31 goals and registered 24 assists. She scored 85 career goals at the high school level.
Johnson came to Lehigh in the fall of 1992, when the women's soccer program was only in its second season as a varsity sport at Lehigh. The Quakertown, Pennsylvania native made an immediate impact, cracking the starting lineup and scoring 15 goals on the season - a Lehigh record that went unmatched until 2004. She was named the team's MVP for her efforts.
As a sophomore in 1993, Johnson earned her first All-Patriot League selection, an honor she would capture three times in her career. That sophomore season, Johnson also garnered the team's most outstanding athlete honor for the second straight season.
Her junior and senior years were more of the same, as Johnson continued to help the program grow. She led Lehigh to the program's first Patriot League tournament berth in 1994.
Johnson earned her degree in social relations from Lehigh, and completed her master's in education at Lehigh in 1998. She went on to serve as a third grade teacher at Washington Elementary School in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
At the time of her graduation, Johnson established the school record for goals scored in a season (15), goals in a career (37), assists in a single season (10), career assists (25), points in a season (32), career points (99), game-winning goals in a season (4), and career game-winning goals (8).
“Every time Dia stepped onto the field, her passion for the game was obvious,” said Audrey Aloi '99, who was a freshman on the women's soccer team at Lehigh when Johnson was a senior in the fall of 1995. “Her drive and tenacity were unmatched by any of our opponents. You just knew other teams in the Patriot League would formulate elaborate defensive plays to try and stop her. As a captain, Dia led by example. Nobody worked harder than her in practice. She never gave up, ever, no matter the score. Dia reminded all of her teammates why we were there: because we loved the game. Watching her, you'd never forget that.”
It should come as no surprise that Johnson had the capability of being a major impact on the young program. At Quakertown (Pa.) High School, she was two-time all-state selection while leading her team to two division championships. As a senior, Johnson scored a school record 31 goals and registered 24 assists. She scored 85 career goals at the high school level.
Johnson came to Lehigh in the fall of 1992, when the women's soccer program was only in its second season as a varsity sport at Lehigh. The Quakertown, Pennsylvania native made an immediate impact, cracking the starting lineup and scoring 15 goals on the season - a Lehigh record that went unmatched until 2004. She was named the team's MVP for her efforts.
As a sophomore in 1993, Johnson earned her first All-Patriot League selection, an honor she would capture three times in her career. That sophomore season, Johnson also garnered the team's most outstanding athlete honor for the second straight season.
Her junior and senior years were more of the same, as Johnson continued to help the program grow. She led Lehigh to the program's first Patriot League tournament berth in 1994.
Johnson earned her degree in social relations from Lehigh, and completed her master's in education at Lehigh in 1998. She went on to serve as a third grade teacher at Washington Elementary School in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
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