Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Torino Johnson has stepped down as head coach of the Palisades High girls basketball program after 10 seasons.
Johnson announced Wednesday that he will be joining the women’s basketball staff at Cal State Los Angeles as an assistant under head coach Cheryl Miller.
“I’m so grateful to the Palisades community and the booster club, Charlotte Atlas who hired me and all of the families that have come through our program,” Johnson told the Palisadian-Post. “There are big things going on in my life, a lot of projects and I’m very excited about this new opportunity.”
Johnson took the Dolphins’ program to new heights, racking up 203 victories against 123 defeats and piloting Palisades to four City Section championships: back-to-back Division II titles in 2011-12 and back-to-back Open Division crowns in 2015-16. In March, the Dolphins reached their third straight Open Division final but lost to Fairfax in overtime.
Under Johnson’s guidance Palisades posted a stellar 92-28 record in Western League play and won four league titles. He earned the City Coach of the Year Award four times and was name Division I State Coach of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports in 2016.
Palisades has posted the job opening on its school website and is accepting applications to fill the position.
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