Athletics

Johnson, a four-year letterwinner, was one of the pillars of the program during the early years of North Texas women’s soccer. Johnson left North Texas in 2000 as the all-time leader in goals, points, shots, and games started in her four-year career. She was a freshman All-American in 1997 and first-team all-central region player that year. In 1997, Johnson exploded for 22 goals during the season, which ranked sixth nationally. She set the single-game record for goals with five, which she accomplished in back-to-back games to begin the 1997 season. No player in North Texas history has duplicated Johnson’s effort in her first two collegiate games of her career. She was a four-time first team all-conference player at North Texas and was the first player in school history to be a four-time all-conference selection. She finished third all-time at North Texas with 45 career goals and third in points with 112. Johnson continued her soccer career after North Texas, playing with the Cleveland Internationals in 2004 and 2005 in the W-League, which was the highest level for women’s soccer at the time.

JALIE MITCHELL (Women’s Basketball)

Perhaps the greatest women’s basketball player in Mean Green history, Mitchell was named all-conference all four years at North Texas, concluding her career as the 2002 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. She finished as the Mean Green’s all-time leading scorer with 1,764 points and ranks No. 1 in free throws and attempts. She also ranks in the top 10 in school history in 10 other categories. During her senior season, she was part of a team that set a school record with 21 wins in a single season and went to back-to-back postseason WNIT’s. During that year, Mitchell averaged 19.4 points a game and scored 20 points or more 14 times. She turned in one of the most dominating performances during the season with a career-high 37 points, which still ranks as the fifth-most in a single game at North Texas. In her four-year career, Mitchell averaged double figures in each season and she is the only women’s basketball player in school history to win a Player of the Year award and the only four-time all-conference player at North Texas. Mitchell had her number retired during the 2001-02 season.

One of the most complete players to ever suit up at North Texas, Reades was a four-year letterwinner that ended her career ranked No. 1 in assists (458) and steals (296) at North Texas. She was a two-time all-conference pick and the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2002. She ranks in the top 10 in career rebounds, free throws and free throw attempts. Reades is the only player in North Texas history to record 500 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists, and 200 steals in a career. Despite being only 5-5, she finished her career third all-time at North Texas with 652 rebounds. Reades was also recognized for her academic and athletic achievements as she was named the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Texas in 2002. Reades was just the second North Texas student ever to reach semi-finalist status for the coveted Rhodes Scholarship. Reades helped lead the Mean Green to two consecutive post-season appearances, 77 wins in her four-year stint at North Texas, three conference division championships, and a school-record 21 wins in the 2001-02 season. Reades had her number retired during the 2001-02 season.

Rutherford was a four-year letterman in basketball from 1946-50. He was the Eagles’ leading scorer in 1949-50 with a 16.8 ppg average, which included a season-high 29 points against Houston. Rutherford was a first-team Gulf Coast Conference selection in 1949-50 as he scored 438 total points, the third-most in the state of Texas. He was the basketball co-captain and voted the T Club’s Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year in 1949-50. Rutherford was also selected to the North Texas "Who’s Who" in colleges and universities in 1949-50. In 1948-49, he averaged 9.6 ppg, which was the second-highest on the team. In 1950 Rutherford was selected to play on the Texas AAU basketball team. Upon completion of his masters degree at North Texas in 1954, Rutherford went onto coach basketball for seven years and was the superintendent of the Everman ISD from 1964-1983.