John Johnson

John Johnson joined the Nebraska Athletic Department in July of 2019 as Senior Deputy AD - Chief of Staff. Johnson oversees the administration office and the Nebraska men’s basketball program.

Prior to coming to Nebraska, Johnson served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director at Washington State University, with a focus on external operations, facility development and strategic planning. He also served as interim athletic director for the Cougars after Bill Moos was hired at Nebraska.

Johnson's time at Washington State started in 2004 when he arrived as the senior associate athletic director. From 2004-10 Johnson worked alongside athletic director Jim Sterk, Johnson had oversight of WSU’s athletic foundation, now known as the Cougar Athletic Fund, as well as external operations, including sponsorships, marketing, ticket sales, radio and television revenues and communications. Additionally, he had sport supervision for football, baseball, soccer, golf, along with track and field.
 
He played a major role in fundraising and management of multiple facility projects, including the Phase I renovation of Martin Stadium, the baseball indoor hitting and pitching facility, the Simmelink Indoor Tennis Courts renovation and the Tom and Barbara Wilson Indoor Rowing facility.
 
When Moos arrived as director of athletics in 2010, Johnson turned his focus to strategic planning and increased facility development. He oversaw the development of the department’s facilities master plan through a comprehensive analysis of sports, department and university goals, and strategic initiatives. He managed the design and construction of the Martin Stadium Renovation, the $120 million project included the construction of a new press box, club seating and suite areas. The renovation also included the construction of the Cougar Football Complex operations building. 
 
Additional facility projects he had oversight on in included the renovation of the Lower Soccer Field, the Moobery Track and Field Complex just prior to the 2013 Pac-12 Championships, the indoor hitting facility for men’s and women’s golf, the video board at Beasley Coliseum, and renovating the men’s and women’s basketball lockerrooms.
 
Johnson arrived at WSU after serving as the director of athletics at Weber State from 1997-2004. While at Weber State, Johnson oversaw all aspects of the intercollegiate athletics program. He was responsible for the upgrading of the university’s facilities, including the construction of the Stewart Stadium Sky-Suites/ Press Box facility, which was completed in September of 2001. Johnson secured nearly $5 million for the project, which included corporate suites, club seating, meeting rooms and reception areas, along with a new 36-seat press box. In addition to the six-story facility, Johnson also secured funding for a complete renovation of the athletic department office space, football locker rooms, weight room and athletic training room.
 
Johnson drew substantial financial support for the Weber State athletic programs through a 70 percent increase in corporate sponsorships and a 50 percent increase in annual giving. He also secured the first $1 million-plus gift in department history.
 
Johnson arrived at Weber State after serving as the director of athletics at Eastern Washington University from 1993-97. While at Eastern, Johnson was responsible for the general administration and management of 15 sport programs, staff and support personnel.
 
Johnson served as President of the NCAA Division I-AA Athletic Director’s Association for the 2000-2001 year. At the 2001 NACDA Convention held in Salt Lake City, Johnson was honored as the Division I-AA West Region Athletic Director of the Year. He also served on the NCAA Championship and Competition Cabinet, and served on the NCAA Division I Football Executive Committee, the National Football Foundation Executive Committee, and the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Committee.
 
A 1982 graduate of Eastern Washington with a bachelor's degree in business, he later earned a master's in business from EWU in 1984. A graduate of East Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Wash., he later was a football student-athlete at Montana State and Eastern Washington.

Johnson and his wife, Lisa, have two children: daughter, Ellie, and son, Cooper. Lisa is currently the head coach for the Nebraska women's golf program.