Italy High School track phenom Kortnei Johnson signs letter of intent to LSU

Image: Italy High School senior Kortnei Johnson signs her letter of intent to run track for the D1 LSU Lady Tigers in 2015. Coaches and family members joined Johnson inside Italy Gladiator Coliseum for her special moment. Back row (L-R): Coaches Tina Richards, Bobby Campbell and Melissa Fullmer. Front row (L-R): Summer track coach Keith Herring, father James Johnson, Kortnei Johnson herself, Uncle Danny Jennings and aunt Wanda Jennings.

Italy High School senior Kortnei Johnson signs her letter of intent to run track for the D1 LSU Lady Tigers in 2015. Coaches and family members joined Johnson inside Italy Gladiator Coliseum for her special moment. Back row (L-R): Coaches Tina Richards, Bobby Campbell and Melissa Fullmer. Front row (L-R): Summer track coach Keith Herring, father James Johnson, Kortnei Johnson herself, Uncle Danny Jennings and aunt Wanda Jennings. (Barry Byers)

Image: Italy senior Kortnei Johnson displays her LSU cake with assistance from her summer track coach Keith Herring and father James Johnson on the left and aunt and uncle Wanda and Danny Jennings.

Italy senior Kortnei Johnson displays her LSU cake with assistance from her summer track coach Keith Herring and father James Johnson on the left and aunt and uncle Wanda and Danny Jennings. (Barry Byers)

Image: Italy High School’s Kortnei Johnson ‘eventually’ chooses the Louisiana State University baton to announce the school of her choice.

Italy High School’s Kortnei Johnson ‘eventually’ chooses the Louisiana State University baton to announce the school of her choice. (Barry Byers)

Image: She knew it all along! Kortnei Johnson slips on an LSU ball cap and then unzips her jacket to reveal an LSU sweatshirt after making her college choice.

She knew it all along! Kortnei Johnson slips on an LSU ball cap and then unzips her jacket to reveal an LSU sweatshirt after making her college choice. (Barry Byers)

Image: Now decked out in purple and yellow, Italy High School’s Kortnei Johnson signs her letter of intent to run track for the LSU Tigers as her uncle, Danny Jennings, looks on.

Now decked out in purple and yellow, Italy High School’s Kortnei Johnson signs her letter of intent to run track for the LSU Tigers as her uncle, Danny Jennings, looks on. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson flashes a proud smile that stretches from Texas to California while signing her letter of intent to run track for the D1 LSU Tigers.

Kortnei Johnson flashes a proud smile that stretches from Texas to California while signing her letter of intent to run track for the D1 LSU Tigers. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson admires a congratulatory gift with LSU Lady Tigers displayed proudly on the front.

Kortnei Johnson admires a congratulatory gift with LSU Lady Tigers displayed proudly on the front. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson takes a victory lap around the gym floor of Italy Coliseum since track has propelled the senior to the world collegiate level track. Johnson will join the LSU Lady Tigers in 2015.

Kortnei Johnson takes a victory lap around the gym floor of Italy Coliseum since track has propelled the senior to the world collegiate level track. Johnson will join the LSU Lady Tigers in 2015. (Barry Byers)

Image: Posing with some of her track teammates is Kortnei Johnson after signing her letter of intent to run track for LSU. (L-R) Taleyia Wilson, Halee Turner, Janae Robertson and April Lusk.

Posing with some of her track teammates is Kortnei Johnson after signing her letter of intent to run track for LSU. (L-R) Taleyia Wilson, Halee Turner, Janae Robertson and April Lusk. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson poses with her summer track coach Keith Herring after Johnson signed to compete for LSU in 2015.

Kortnei Johnson poses with her summer track coach Keith Herring after Johnson signed to compete for LSU in 2015. (Barry Byers)

Image: All together now, many members of the Italy Lady Gladiator track and basketball teams join senior Kortnei Johnson as she holds the baton revealing LSU as her school of choice. Pictured (L-R) are Coach Melissa Fullmer, Lizzie Garcia, Tara Wallis, Brycelen Richards, Taleyia Wilson, Kortnei Johnson, Alex Minton, Annie Perry, Brooke DeBorde, Emmy Cunningham, Vanessa Cantu, Janae Robertson and basketball managers Brenya Williams and Rebekah Corley.

All together now, many members of the Italy Lady Gladiator track and basketball teams join senior Kortnei Johnson as she holds the baton revealing LSU as her school of choice. Pictured (L-R) are Coach Melissa Fullmer, Lizzie Garcia, Tara Wallis, Brycelen Richards, Taleyia Wilson, Kortnei Johnson, Alex Minton, Annie Perry, Brooke DeBorde, Emmy Cunningham, Vanessa Cantu, Janae Robertson and basketball managers Brenya Williams and Rebekah Corley. (Barry Byers)

Image: Track coaches Bobby Campbell and Melissa Fullmer support senior track star Kortnei Johnson as she displays the Louisiana State University baton, Johnson’s college choice to continue her track career.

Track coaches Bobby Campbell and Melissa Fullmer support senior track star Kortnei Johnson as she displays the Louisiana State University baton, Johnson’s college choice to continue her track career. (Barry Byers)

Image: Coaches Bobby Campbell, Tina Richards, and Melissa Fullmer helped get Kortnei Johnson to the finish line as the Italy High School senior looks ahead to being an LSU track team member in 2015.

Coaches Bobby Campbell, Tina Richards, and Melissa Fullmer helped get Kortnei Johnson to the finish line as the Italy High School senior looks ahead to being an LSU track team member in 2015. (Barry Byers)

Image: Summer track coach Keith Herring, father James Johnson, Kortnei Johnson, aunt Wanda Jennings, uncle Danny Jennings and track coach Bobby Campbell have all had a hand in Johnson reaching her dreams of being a collegiate track athlete for LSU and possibly an olympian at some point.

Summer track coach Keith Herring, father James Johnson, Kortnei Johnson, aunt Wanda Jennings, uncle Danny Jennings and track coach Bobby Campbell have all had a hand in Johnson reaching her dreams of being a collegiate track athlete for LSU and possibly an olympian at some point. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson gets congratulated by Jane Laws after Johnson signed to run collegiate level track for the LSU Lady Tigers.

Kortnei Johnson gets congratulated by Jane Laws after Johnson signed to run collegiate level track for the LSU Lady Tigers. (Barry Byers)

Image: Senior Gladiator John Escamilla congratulates fellow senior Kortnei Johnson on her choice of becoming an LSU Tiger!!!

Senior Gladiator John Escamilla congratulates fellow senior Kortnei Johnson on her choice of becoming an LSU Tiger!!! (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson is congratulated by senior classmate Jaclynn Lewis after Johnson signed with LSU to continue her track career at the next level. Lewis committed to Texas Lutheran University in the same week to play collegiate softball.

Kortnei Johnson is congratulated by senior classmate Jaclynn Lewis after Johnson signed with LSU to continue her track career at the next level. Lewis committed to Texas Lutheran University in the same week to play collegiate softball. (Barry Byers)

Image: Lady Gladiator manager Brenya Williams is proud of Kortnei Johnson and her decision to run track for LSU after high school.

Lady Gladiator manager Brenya Williams is proud of Kortnei Johnson and her decision to run track for LSU after high school. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson with yours truly. It’s fast and not so fast. Go get ’em, Kortnei!

Kortnei Johnson with yours truly. It’s fast and not so fast. Go get ’em, Kortnei! (Barry Byers)

Image: Congratulation,s Kortnei!!! I think we need a bigger sheet of paper…

Congratulation,s Kortnei!!! I think we need a bigger sheet of paper… (Barry Byers)

Image: A table display of pictures, shirts and medals lay out the journey that Italy High School’s Kortnei Johnson has been on for so long to make her dream of being a collegiate track athlete a reality.

A table display of pictures, shirts and medals lay out the journey that Italy High School’s Kortnei Johnson has been on for so long to make her dream of being a collegiate track athlete a reality. (Barry Byers)

Image: Italy Coliseum adds a touch of purple to its gold and black decor in support of senior student-athlete Kortnei Johnson who officially signed her letter of intent to run track for the LSU Lady Tigers in 2015.

Italy Coliseum adds a touch of purple to its gold and black decor in support of senior student-athlete Kortnei Johnson who officially signed her letter of intent to run track for the LSU Lady Tigers in 2015. (Barry Byers)

Image: Kortnei Johnson put it all on the line in every race for Italy and will no doubt do the same for LSU.

Kortnei Johnson put it all on the line in every race for Italy and will no doubt do the same for LSU. (Barry Byers)

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