DETROIT (6/27/2021) -- The University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics mourns the passing of Titan Hall of Famer and women's basketball great Lydia Johnson, who starred for the Titans from 1978-80 in the early years of Titan women's basketball. She was 65 years old.

Johnson was inducted into the Titan Athletics Hall of Fame recently in 2020 and was also honored as a "Trailblazer of the Game" along with Titan teammate Coretta Daniels at the 2018 Women's Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony.

She joined the Titans in the program's second year in 1978-79 and played two seasons after transferring from Jackson Community College and during those two years, the Titans ascended to dominant status with a 52-12 overall record, two state titles and an appearance in the AIAW National Tournament, the precursor to the NCAA Tournament. 

In her two years, she tallied 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game -- one of only two Titan players in school history to average a double-double -- to go with 89 blocks and 84 steals.

In her first year, she helped the Titans to a school-record 27 wins as U-D knocked off every in school state on its schedule, including a pair of victories over Michigan and Michigan State and wins over Indiana and Ohio State. 

As a senior, she rose to national status earning All-American, All-State and All-Region accolades after posting 15.3 points and 11.7 rebounds, shooting 50 percent from the field and recording 48 steals and 42 blocks. Her 364 caroms and 11.7 rebounds per game in 1979-80 both rank third all-time in Titan history and with all those numbers, she was named one of the 32 finalists for the Wade Trophy, which honors the most outstanding collegiate women's basketball player in the country.

In her final year, the Titans went 25-8 and earned a birth to the AIAW National Tournament, one of only three national tournament appearances in the history of the Titan women's basketball program.

She would later go on to play in the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL), the first pro women's basketball league in the United States. Her player profile reads of a hard-nosed, physical, menacing defender – 48 steals and 42 blocks her freshman season – with a solid mid-range game, comparable to that of a Rick Mahorn or Kevin McHale.

Johnson spoke with DetroitTitans.com as she was inducted into Detroit Mercy's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.

A visitation is set for Friday, July 2 from 5-8 p.m. at Pye Funeral Home, 17600 Plymouth Rd. in Detroit.