Ex-Arkansas guard Johnson brings big-game experience

Grand Canyon head coach Winston Gandy and the women’s basketball program added a veteran piece to Gandy’s first Lopes roster in 5-foot-9 shooting guard Karley Johnson.

Johnson, who hails from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, spent the past three seasons at Arkansas and enters GCU as a senior for the 2025-26 season.

Johnson’s playing time increased throughout her career in the Southeastern Conference, playing in 30 games last season with nine starts in 15.4 minutes per game. She averaged 2.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.7 steals during her junior season while playing significant minutes against the nation’s best teams, including Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina and UCLA.

Prior to Arkansas, Johnson was a 2022 McDonald’s All-American nominee and earned Oklahoman’s Super 5 Honorable Mention choice four times from 2019-22. She was named to the All-City (Little City) First Team in 2021 and Second Team in 2019 and 2020, along with VYPE Top 100 selection in 2020 and 2021. She transferred to Mustang High School prior to her junior year, helping lead the Broncos to a No. 12 state ranking.

Johnson’s name joins six other incoming Lopes who have been signed this offseason, including:

• Favor Ayodele, 6-1 forward (Tennessee)
• Faith Carson, 6-4 forward (Ohio State)
• Sophia Fontaine, 6-2 forward (Stetson)
• Holly Griffiths, 6-4 forward (Fresno State)
• Julianna LaMendola, 6-1 forward (Indiana)
• Chloe Mann, 5-8 guard (Cincinnati)