Aaron Johnston has spent the last 26 seasons building South Dakota State University into one of the premier mid-major programs in women’s college basketball. Under his leadership, the Jackrabbits have dominated the Summit League, consistently winning conference championships and earning NCAA Tournament berths. Most recently, SDSU has reached the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons, continuing a standard of excellence that has made the Jackrabbits the benchmark for success in the conference.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Johnston’s career is that he successfully guided the program through its transition from Division II to Division I without missing a beat. While many programs struggle through that process, the Jackrabbits quickly established themselves as contenders at the Division I level. Johnston has also intentionally ch ...