Chris Johnson joined the Green Wave track and field program as an assistant coach in August 2018.
Johnson arrived in New Orleans from Valley City State University in North Dakota where he was the head coach of cross country and track and field since 2015.
Johnson is currently responsible for overseeing Tulane's throwers, high-jumpers and multi-event athletes while also assisting the staff with the rest of the field athletes.
During the 2019-20 campaign, Johnson coached Maren Butler to the third best overall mark and the second best by a freshman in program history in the indoor women's shot put.
In his first year at Tulane in 2018-19, Johnson saw huge improvements with multiple athletes he coached. Tom Watson (javelin), Olivia Hicks (high jump) and Jorien Vallien (high jump) all scored at the American Athletic Conference Championship for the first time in their careers. Watson had a personal best javelin throw during the season and just missed out on the podium at the conference championship meet.
During his time with the Vikings, Johnson helped the program grow and boasted 86 All-Conference members, 18 conference champions, two Field Athletes of the Meet and 37 total Athlete of the Week awards. One of his athletes also earned NAIA National Field Athlete of the Week honors, and 21 of his athletes reached the NAIA National Championship.
At Valley City State, four of Johnson's athletes were named All-Americans and two won national championships. He also contributed to team and individual success in the classroom with his teams winning 13 total Scholar Team Awards and his Vikings being named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes 15 times.
Since 2015 when he joined the Vikings, 31 different school records and eight different conference records were broken by VCSU student-athletes.
Before his tenure with Valley City State, Johnson was an assistant coach with Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 2013-14 and 2015. In his time assisting the Red Devils, 26 of his student-athletes earned All-Conference honors and six won conference championships. He coached the Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year one season and seven Athlete of the Week award winners. He also coached one athlete to an All-American honor and had his student-athletes break seven school records.
Johnson also had served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, in 2011-13.
As a student-athlete at Dickinson College, Johnson was a three-time Centennial Conference champion as a javelin thrower and jumper. He competed post-collegiately in the javelin and was sponsored by Adidas Garden State Track and Field Elite. He holds a personal best in the javelin of 65.28 meters (214-2).
A native of Yardley, Pennsylvania, Johnson earned his bachelor's degree in history from Dickinson College in 2011 and his Master of Education in college teaching from the University of Mary in 2013.
Track & Field
Johnson, Chris
Chris Johnson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- cjohnson5@tulane.edu
- Phone:
- 862-8247
Travel Day POV with Tulane Track & Field 🎥
Monday, February 19
Tulane XC & TF: Who drew the best Angry Wave? 🧐
Tuesday, August 29
Track & Field Vlog
Thursday, January 19
Tulane Track & Field: Migle Murskaite Preview
Friday, January 28
