Cuesta welcomes new women's soccer and men's basketball coaches

SAN LUIS OBISPO - Cuesta College has added two new coaches to its athletic department, with Paige Johnson taking over Women's Soccer and Jamoni Barber taking the reins of Men's Basketball. 

Coach Paige Johnson shall become the third mentor for the Cuesta Kickers, following founding Coach Bob Wilson's 26 years at the helm and three seasons with Coach Kaleb Lique Naitove, who stepped down after guiding the program through the pandemic.  Prior to the pandemic the Cougars were on the team on the rise after going 27-12, including a playoff berth, before shutting down in 2020.  The Cougars are 9-42-7 over the past four seasons.

Coach Johnson is a home-grown talent, who began her playing career as a star at nearby Arroyo Grande High, before moving across the country to compete for Butler University in Indiana.  She played four seasons as a Midfielder for the Bulldogs, while also earning her degree in Biology.  Her playing career was highlighted individually by her assist on the game-winning goal over their intrastate rivals the Indiana State Sycamores during her Junior season and collectively with a 2015 Big East Conference championship to cap her Senior season.

After finishing her time in the Hoosier State, Johnson returned to the Central Coast and picked up a clipboard.  She has coached at the club level with the Central Coast United since 2017, while also beginning her career on the collegiate sidelines.  In 2017, she joined Coach Alex Crozier staff at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a pair of four-year stints. In 2021, Johnson branched out on her own to spend a season with the Otters at CSU Monterey Bay, before returning for four more years with the Mustangs.  

Coach Jamoni Barber takes over the Cuesta Men's Basketball program as the college's fourth head coach since founding the team in 1965-66. The Cougars' Faithful are ready to support Coach Barber as he builds his program, while still mourning the loss of Coach Rusty Blair, who passed away this Spring, after taking the Cougars to another playoff berth.  This season marks the 61st year of Cuesta College Men's Basketball with program founder Don Hansen putting in 26 seasons at the helm, while Mike Mohler bridged the one-year gap from Hansen to Blair's 33 years at the helm.   

Coach Barber brings a wealth of experience from his time on the hardwood as both a player and coach.  He spent his collegiate days playing at Merritt College in the CCCAA, before crossing the country to finish his studies playing for Post University in Waterbury Connecticut.  He began his coaching career on the Eagles Coaching Staff.  He spent two years on the bench, while also completing his undergraduate degree in Clinical Psychology and picking up his Master's Degree in Business Leadership in 2022.

Coach Barber returned to California and Merritt College, where he spent two seasons coaching his former team, before making the move to San Luis Obispo and Cuesta College this year.   

(Pete Schuler, Cuesta College Athletics)