Western Kentucky men’s basketball player Justin Johnson (third from left), shown during mission trip to China, has been named as one of 14 recipients of the C-USA Winter Spirit of Service Award. (WKU Athletics)

Western Kentucky men’s basketball junior Justin Johnson has been named one of 14 recipients of the C-USA Winter Spirit of Service Award, as announced by the Conference USA office on Wednesday.

The C-USA Spirit of Service Award is designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant public service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport. The award is presented three times throughout the season, with Wednesday’s honorees representing winter sports: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, rifle and men’s and women’s swimming.

Johnson – a Hazard native – played in all 32 games and made 31 starts in the 2016-17 season, averaging 31.4 minutes per game, and was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team.

The 6-foot-7 forward led the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and rebounding (9.4 per game), becoming the first WKU player to lead the team in both categories in back-to-back years since Chris Marcus in 2000-02. Johnson led C-USA in both rebounding and double-doubles, and his 14 double-doubles were tied for the 10th-most by a Hilltopper since 1960.

He finished the season tied for 36th on WKU’s all-time scoring list with 1,120 career points.

A previous member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Johnson is on track to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in sport management in less than four years and begin work on a master’s program during his senior year.

He’s also been active in the Bowling Green community and was named a 2017 Allstate NABC Good Works Team nominee in November.

Johnson has made mission trips the last two summers to China and Belize with the Sports Reach program, and he’s also previously volunteered at Bowling Green Retirement Village, where he’s now completing an internship. Johnson has also spent time at the Boys & Girls Club, helped deliver school supplies to area grade school children through the Stuff the Bus campaign and spoke to the local Upward youth basketball league on gameday during the season.