Gatorade Player of the Year Ella Kate Johnston reclassifies to join LSU a year early

BATON ROUGE, LA – LSU Soccer has added one of the top players in the state of Louisiana to its 2026 signing class as Ella Kate Johnston has reclassified to join the Tigers this fall, head coach Sian Hudson announced.

A Baton Rouge native and standout at Parkview Baptist High School, Johnston originally committed as part of LSU’s 2027 class before accelerating her graduation timeline to enroll early and begin her collegiate career in Fall 2026.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ella Kate to LSU earlier than expected,” said Hudson. “She represents everything we want in this program — competitive, driven, selfless, and deeply connected to Louisiana soccer. She has an elite mentality and a relentless work ethic that impacts everyone around her.”

Johnston arrives at LSU following one of the most decorated prep careers in recent Louisiana history. The midfielder/forward was named the 2025 Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year and became the first player in Parkview Baptist soccer history to earn United Soccer Coaches All-America honors. She was also the only Louisiana player selected as a 2024 United Soccer Coaches All-American, earned 2024 United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors, and has received three invitations to the U.S. Soccer Girls National Team ID Camp, including the most recent camp in February 2026.

A four-time All-State selection and multiple-time All-Metro and All-District MVP, Johnston helped lead Parkview Baptist to three consecutive state championships and four straight state championship appearances. During her high school career, she became the school’s all-time leader in both goals and assists with 126 goals and 108 assists.

Johnston also starred at the club level with Louisiana Elite GA, helping lead the club to a historic run to the Girls Academy National Semifinals before narrowly falling on penalties to the eventual national champion. Since 2023, she has led the GA Frontier League in goals each season while also earning multiple selections to Girls Academy National Talent ID events throughout her club career.

In her most recent high school season, Johnston recorded 43 goals and 26 assists while leading the state of Louisiana in assists.

“Ella Kate is a player who changes games with her intelligence, creativity, and competitiveness,” said Hudson. “What separates her is her willingness to do whatever the team needs to win. She’s humble, team-oriented, and constantly looking to improve. We believe she has a tremendous future here at LSU.”

Outside of soccer, Johnston has also excelled as a multi-sport athlete. She was a state championship finalist as part of Parkview Baptist’s 200 medley relay swim team, competed regionally in track and field, and was a national champion triathlete during her youth career.

Athletics run deep in Johnston’s family. Her mother, Shelly Ripple, was a member of the U.S. National Swimming Team and is a member of the Stanford Hall of Fame, while her grandmother, Jan Ripple, was a world champion triathlete for Team USA. Her grandfather, Steve Ripple, served as captain of the LSU Football team during the 1976 and 1977 seasons, and her sister, Faith Johnston, currently plays soccer at the University of Kansas.

Johnston will officially join the Tigers ahead of the 2026 season.