Last week, Stetson transfer Chase Johnston announced that he would not only stay in the ASUN but in the state of Florida, transferring to FGCU. He is the first big commit of the Patrick Chambers era.
“I don’t think you can get a better coaching staff. They bring a winning mentality and a winning culture,” Johnston told The Portal Report, “That’s what I want to do, I want to win.”
Johnston has shown that he’s capable of just that in his first two seasons in the league. He started every ASUN game in his first season, winning the league’s freshman of the year award. Along with that, he helped Stetson win their first-ever D1 postseason game, contributing to a 53-52 win over Bowling Green in the CBI.
In his sophomore season, he looked even more impressive as he averaged 15.2 points per game while making 99 three-pointers and the All-ASUN first team. It also always seemed like he was there in the clutch:
As he torched a lot of the league, FGCU saw a bear of the brunt. He played 42 minutes in both games against the Eagles in 2022, scoring a combined 70 points against them through two seasons. It’s safe to say that he feels comfortable in not only the ASUN but Fort Myers.
“It was always fun going and playing at FGCU. I always loved the atmosphere,” Johnston said, “I love the ASUN, I think it’s a great league. I’ve had two great years in the league. I think the league fits my playing style very well.”
Johnston could’ve gone on to a school with a bigger name, but he chose a place with some familiarity. That’s a good thing to hear for head coach Patrick Chambers, who has never coached a game as a head coach at an ASUN arena. Johnston picked his program over the likes of Memphis, USF, UCF, Butler, Providence, and Cincinnati. He even bailed out on a visit to Memphis.
It says a lot about the success that Chambers has accomplished. If it wasn’t for COVID canceling the NCAA Tournament in 2020, Chambers would’ve sent Penn State to their third NCAA Tournament since 2000. At Boston University, he got exactly that done in two seasons.
Now he’s set up again, getting a natural-born leader and someone who has shown to have success at that level, in the same league and state.
“I’m going to bring a winning attitude, every day. I’m going to bring a leadership mentality, an edge about me that will push the whole culture for sure,” Johnston said, “I want to be a leader on and off the court, I want to be vocal. I want to bring a great relationship mentality to the team too.”
If Johnston plays as he has through his first two seasons in the ASUN, Patrick Chambers will be on a path to sending another program to the NCAA Tournament.
