When Estelle Johnson was a little girl, her father, Jerry, began the process of molding her into a tireless defender.

Above all, he preached intensity and tenacity. He even invented his own term for the defensive mentality he wanted to ingrain in his daughter.

“It’s called mad-dog defense,” Johnson said laughing. “He would make a chart on a piece of paper and draw the field. In my defensive half he would draw all these players running around and the ball. He would say I couldn’t stop until the ball was past the half. That’s when I could rest.”

Now, almost three years into her career at Kansas, the junior defender is one of the most experienced defenders in the Big 12 Conference. But she hasn’t forgotten those early lessons, and she certainly isn’t doing much resting on the field.

Johnson, Fort Collins, Colo., native, leads Kansas in minutes played with 1,930 and has played two full games more than the next closest player. Not that she isn’t used to logging minutes. Johnson has started 60 of 61 possible games for coach Mark Francis since arriving on campus in the fall of 2006.

“I think I was just born with that innate defensive ability,” she said.

Francis deployed the athletic Johnson at left back during her first two years, where her attacking ability and speed would have more of an effect on the game. But with captain and four–year starter Afton Sauer graduating after last season and senior defender Jenny Murtaugh still recovering from a knee injury, Johnson was forced to move inside during practice this spring.

By the time the team had returned from its May trip to Brazil, Francis knew he had found Sauer’s replacement.

“She did so well that we kept her there when we went to Brazil,” Francis said of Johnson’s play in the spring. “She was phenomenal there too against very, very good competition. So we said ‘Hey, lets leave her in the middle.’”

Even though Johnson played some center back in high school, she said the move from left back had been a gradual adjustment as she acclimated to tracking players on both sides of the field.

She is also developing another part of her game that is more mental than physical. Johnson is one of three team captains chosen by her teammates alongside junior goalkeeper Julie Hanley and senior midfielder Jessica Bush.

Sauer was the de facto leader of the backline last season, and Johnson said playing with so many talented defenders has given her excellent examples of what it takes to be a leader.

“Last year that was Afton’s role and I think I’ve learned a lot from her,” Johnson said. “I am kind of trying to step into her shoes and lead by example back there.”

So far that example has helped guide Kansas to 12 victories, limited opponents to 1.43 goals per game and facilitated the team’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004. Johnson also turned in two sterling performances in last week’s Big 12 Tournament in San Antonio, earning her a spot on the all-tournament team. Francis said he was happy to see Johnson’s play acknowledged, but that he was surprised not to see the versatile defender’s name on the all-conference teams earlier in the week.

“To be honest, I thought she should have made it last year,” Francis said. “As a defender sometimes it’s a little bit tough. Forwards have stats. You can say ‘I’ve scored this many goals.’”

Johnson scored her first career goal this season even though her role in the attack had diminished. Looking more like a striker than defender, she dribbled the length of the field and scored from long range against Oklahoma State. Johnson said she missed the few forays forward she was afforded as an outside back, but acknowledged her new role was where she was more needed.

It’s that kind of attitude, as well as her sense of humor, that has allowed the junior to help keep her teammates focused in training and games while also keeping the mood loose during tense moments.

“Estelle is a goofy kid,” Francis said. “She knows when to say something funny to get everybody to relax a little bit. But on field, whether that be in practice or a game, she is one of our most competitive kids. I think that rubs off on other people.”

Johnson isn’t afraid of a little contact either. She is second on the team with three yellow cards, and junior midfielder Shannon McCabe said Johnson’s intensity and physicality gave Kansas an extra edge to its game.

“I would say she is passionate and emotional,” McCabe said. “I feel like it’s important to have your emotions invested in the game. Sometimes they can get the most of you and you can get yellow cards, but it’s that fire that kind of helps the team.”

The same fire is what makes Johnson such an effective defender. Her mad-dog mentality has stuck with her. She still refuses to rest until the ball is gone.

“I just have an attitude,” Johnson said. “You aren’t going to get by me, and if you are, you aren’t getting by me clean.”

— - Edited by Brenna Hawley