Lisa JOHNSON Head coach • Fourth season • Gonzaga University • University of Idaho
Lisa Johnson has returned to her Northwest roots as the head golf coach at the University of Idaho in the fall of 2007 and picked up where her predecessor left on in continuing to improve Vandal women’s golf and put it on the national map. After taking a program that won the 2007 Western Athletic er e rn At A tthl hle hl ett Conference title, she guided the women w wo ome ome en tto an historic three-victory season and a berth in their second in 2009-10 200 09 NCAA competition. That, she says, NC N CA AA A rregional egg iiss just jus ust a st sstep t along the way in the program achieving a ac chi h ev e in ng its i ultimate goal. ““Moving “M Mov ovin forward,” she says, “our goal is ov make to om ak ke itt tto o the national championship and to o ccompete ompe om ompe pete te ffor a national championship. That should be ssh h ho ould ou db e tthe goal.” Vandals are close. With the WestTThe Th he Va V a Athletic errn At ern A thlet hle hl ett Conference’s top two playears headlining the Idaho lineup, the development of the yyounger yo oun un nge gge er players is all that separates the Vandals from that lofty goal. “Next “N Ne year, we will have a large team,” said Johnson, who has a unit of just six in 201011. have competitive qualifying rounds that will make us better. We’ll have the op1 11 1. “We’ll “ “W portunity to be a top 25 program.” po p ort It all started with the foundation built by former head coach Brad Rickel. “There was a solid foundation I could continue to build upon,” said Johnson, who oversaw the men’s and women’s programs during her first season. ov v Director of athletics Rob Spear said Johnson was a natural choice when she selected to take over the program. le le “Lisa not only is a quality golf coach but a quality individual whose goals mirror that of “ the athletic department – to produce premier programs,” he said. th he at a h Johnson was a relative late-comer to golf – and took up the game at the suggestion of her JJo oh high swim coach. higgh h school sc “It was his nice way of telling me, ‘You work hard and you’re a good swimmer, but …,’ ” “IIt w Johnson Johnso Jo hnso hn so said with a laugh. She Sh continues the hard work at Idaho as a driving force behind upgrades for the program gram gr am in the form of renovated lockerrooms, an indoor practice area and an enhancing short-game sh hor or facility. Johnson earned her master’s degree at the University of Idaho after graduating cum laude la au at Gonzaga University in 2000. While at Gonzaga, Johnson was chosen the Bulldog Fe F em Female Student-Athlete of the Year, was a West Coast Conference all-conference selecttiion on a WCC all-academic honoree and the winner of three individual tournaments. She tion, also so was the president of SAAC and a member of the Athletics Council. Prior to returning also to IIdaho, Johnson spent 5½ years at Boise State. to She was married in February 2008 to John Johnson, senior associate athletic director a to tor at neighboring Washington State University. The couple has twin children – Ellie and Co oo Cooper.
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