Former Penn State All-American Ayla Halus-Johnson was named assistant coach of the Nittany Lion field hockey team in July of 2023, joining head coach Lisa Bervinchak Love’s coaching staff. Halus-Johnson was a standout goalkeeper at Penn State from 2009-2012. She returns to Happy Valley after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at William and Mary.
Halus-Johnson served as an assistant at William and Mary from 2021 through the spring of 2023. Prior to her tenure at W&M, she was an assistant coach at Colgate for four years, briefly serving as interim head coach during her time with the Raiders. She served as the goalkeepers coach at Big Ten foe Indiana for two seasons in 2015 and 2016 after beginning her coaching career as a volunteer assistant at nearby Lock Haven University. Halus-Johnson joins the Penn State staff with over a decade of collegiate coaching experience.
“I am excited to welcome Ayla back to Penn State as part of our coaching staff,” said Bervinchak Love. “As a player she was one of Penn State’s best goalkeepers, earning All-America honors and leading us to two Big Ten Tournament Championships. As a coach, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our defense and goalies. Ayla has a great work ethic and a passion for coaching. She will have a positive impact on our athletes both on and off the field.”
Halus-Johnson was a two-time second team All-American goalie during her days as a Nittany Lion, earning the honor in both 2010 and 2011. Halus-Johnson was a first team All-Big Ten and first team NFHCA All-Region pick twice as well. She was the national leader in save percentage in 2010, posting a stellar .826 mark that year and helped lead Penn state to back-to-back conference tournament titles in 2011 and 2012 under former mentor Char Morett-Curtiss.
An outstanding student-athlete during per playing days, Halus-Johnson was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time NFHCA National All-Academic selection. After graduating from Penn State in 2012 with a biology degree, she earned her master’s in education from Penn State in 2015. Halus-Johnson was a member of the U.S. National Indoor Team in 2014-15. She and her husband Chris were married in 2021 and recently welcomed their first child.
“My husband, newborn son, and I are very excited to be coming home to Penn State,” Halus-Johnson said. “Returning to University Park and the Big Ten fulfills a lifelong dream of mine. As a student-athlete I had a front row seat watching Char and Lisa mold countless women into world class athletes and leaders. I know the positive dynamic Laura Gebhart and I possessed as teammates will only continue to develop as colleagues. I feel honored to coach at a university steeped in tradition and field hockey success. I would like to thank Dr. Pat Kraft for granting me this opportunity and look forward to coaching such a talented group of young women.”