Western Oregon University Wolves

Mike Johnson enters his 16th year as the head coach for the Western Oregon track and field and cross country programs in 2018-19.

Under his guidance, Johnson’s teams have won 15 GNAC indoor and outdoor track & field championships, and he has also led the WOU cross country teams to several NCAA Cross Country Championship appearances.

Johnson has led numerous student-athletes to national championship and All-American honors. Johnson guided the WOU men's distance medley relay team to back-to-back indoor national championships (2017, 2018) while relay members David Ribich and Dustin Nading captured a trio of individual national crowns.

The most decorated student-athlete in school history, Ribich was a part of both DMR squads and won consecutive outdoor national titles in the 1,500 (2017, 2018). Johnson coached Ribich to all-time NCAA DII marks in the indoor mile (3:58.88), indoor 1,000 (2:21.38) and indoor 3,000 (7:50.81).

Nading became a three-time national champion by defeating the field in teh mile at the 2018 NCAA DII National Championships.  

Other All-Americans under Johnson’s watch include, javelin thrower Amanda Schumaker (four-time All-American from 2010-2013), distance runner Chris Olsen (2013), javelin thrower Seabre Church (2014), Monica Barnhart (three-time All-American from 2002-2005) and distance runner Badane Sultessa (2015).

Since joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Johnson has coached five US Track & Field Olympic Trial qualifiers and three World Cross Country Championship participants. In addition, he coached Deaflympic gold medalist Gary Namba (100 and 200-meters) and multi-time Deaflympic medalist Janna Vander Meulen, a WOU graduate who set new American deaf records in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles.

Prior to joining the Wolves, Johnson's career includes tenures as the head coach at Highline Community College (1972-74), Eastern Washington University (1974-76), University of Portland (1976-86), University of Washington (1986-98), and Boise State (1998-2000). He was also an assistant coach at WOU for three seasons prior to becoming the program’s leader in 2004.

Johnson's teams at Washington won two Pac-10 cross country championships and his Portland squads captured seven-consecutive West Coast Conference cross country titles. He founded the Pilots women’s program as the women’s NAIA championship team he coached was inducted into the Portland Hall of Fame.

The Seattle native has won numerous honors during his career as he is a three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times, four-time NCAA West Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year and has earned NAIA National Coach of the Year honors.

Johnson graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physical education from Eastern Washington.