Hitting goals in faith as well as in soccer
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The prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was a fitting reward for Margot Merrill-Johnson, who found she could balance sports and academics at Montana State University-Billings, excelling at both without compromising her commitment to her faith.
Honored to receive the scholarship worth $7,500, she intends to put it to good use this fall at the J. Rueben Clark Law school at BYU.
She graduated this spring with a double major in history and sociology, and a 3.90 grade point average.
On the soccer field, she had a record-breaking career for the Yellowjackets, starting all 70 games of her career and, in 2004, breaking the school record in goals, 11, and points, 28. Of her 30 career goals, 11 were game winners. In her final season, MSU-Billings compiled a 12-4-3 record, finishing ranked 10th in its NCAA Division II region rankings. She was named to the 2004 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Women's Soccer Team (College Division).
For 3 1/2 years, Sister Merrill-Johnson, daughter of Charsti Merrill and Vinson Johnson, was also LDSSA president. Then, to fill her spare time, the high-energy Salt Lake City native took up tennis and earned district academic honors in that sport in her school's NCAA district as well.
When asked about Sister Merrill-Johnson, with whom he had worked closely during her days as LDSSA president, David Hein, CES coordinator for Billings, Mont., was not at a loss for words.
"She's an outstanding young lady," he said. "She was a great example for other young people, so eager to help and serve. She's very exuberant."
Recruited out of Salt Lake City's East High School, she considered the University of Utah before chosing MSU-Billings.
Among her friends in Montana were her single-adult ward Bishop George Allen and his wife, Charlotte, who often invited her and others into their home, and attended her soccer games. When her teammates attended Church with her, Bishop and Sister Allen reached out to them as well, she said.
Living in Montana turned out to be a positive experience, she said. "It made me stronger. Nobody tells you how you have to live. You have to do it yourself. It improved my testimony because I talked about the Church with people who didn't know about it."
E-mail to: ghill@desnews.com
