From LCPioneers.com - Jan. 8, 2022
A few seasons removed from winning a national title, Brad Johnson has been named the head coach of the Lewis & Clark Pioneers. Johnson will lead both the men's and women's golf programs, Director of Physical Education and Athletics Mark Pietrok announced on Saturday.
Johnson joins the Pioneers after a year as the head coach of the La Verne Leopards, where he helped the men's team to a top-10 national ranking. Prior to moving to southern California, Johnson led the New York Violets to the 2019 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championship title, the same year in which the men's team qualified for the national tournament for the second straight year. Prior, the men's team hadn't qualified since 2006.
"I am thrilled about the opportunity afforded me by Lewis & Clark and would like to thank Mark Pietrok, Sharon Sexton and the entire search committee," Johnson said. "The Lewis & Clark program has incredible potential, being in an amazing city with the most beautiful campus I've ever visited. It is an ideal environment for the student-athlete to prosper, succeed in their studies and have an amazing college experience."
"Brad will make an immediate impact on our golf programs," Pietrok said. "Brad has been consistent in elevating his teams competitively while achieving accolades off the course, too. I am confident his experience will complement our Building Champions philosophy, and that he will provide an impact in the lives of the student-athletes throughout the Lewis & Clark community."
A finalist for national coach of the year in 2018, Johnson was selected regional coach of the year that season. Over nearly a decade as an NCAA Div. III coach, Johnson has coached seven All-Americans, nine all-region selections and over 40 to all-conference awards. His NYU teams won five straight conference titles. Prior to coaching NYU, Johnson was the head coach at Millsaps in Mississippi where he took the women's team from unranked to the top 45 in the nation, and the men's team from 80th to 23rd.
"This is a great opportunity to continue to grow the program to conference and national prominence, mentoring and developing a team of talented and conscientious student-athletes," Johnson said. "I am eager to get started and help write a new chapter in Lewis & Clark golf history."
Johnson previously served as a golf professional at the prestigious Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. and at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, Calif. He also worked as a certified professional golf coach at Golftec in Santa Monica, Calif.
Johnson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in English from Northern Colorado and received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
