Lawrence Johnson named Director of T&F/XC at Clemson

"This is a fantastic opportunity to continue to build upon one of the most storied track & field programs in the ACC," Johnson said. "I would like to thank the University, the athletic administration, and the entire Clemson family, for having faith and confidence in my ability to direct this track & field program."

Johnson, 33, has been one of the top assistant coaches in the country, especially when considering the credentials of his student-athletes over the past two seasons. He coached the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-events for the men and women at Virginia Tech. He was named 2008 Southeast Region Assistant Coach-of-the-Year by the U.S. Track & Field coaches' association because of his efforts. Johnson's groups were a big reason the Hokies claimed four straight ACC championships and two consecutive NCAA East Region titles in the women's program since 2006-07. In 2007, Johnson was named National Assistant Coach-of-the-Year for women's sprints and hurdles.

"Clemson Athletics is very fortunate and excited to name Coach Johnson as our Director of Track & Field and Cross Country," said Barbara Kennedy-Dixon, Associate Athletic Director at Clemson. "He is known as a great recruiter and for developing student-athletes into world class competitors. He will certainly build on the strong foundation established with the men's program and return the women's program to prominence in the ACC and on a national level. He understands what it takes to build conference and national championship teams, as a coach and as a student-athlete. Coach Johnson will be a great addition to the Clemson family." In total, Johnson coached 10 NCAA All-Americans and 17 ACC champions in his four years with the Virginia Tech program. He also coached eight NCAA East Region individual champions.

In 2008, he coached Virginia Tech women's sprinters and hurdlers to historic seasons. One of his athletes, Queen Harrison, earned a spot on the United States roster for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Under Johnson's watchful eye, Harrison became the first female in Virginia Tech athletics history to be named to a U.S. Olympic team.

Also in 2008, Harrison was named Southeast Region Track Athlete-of-the-Year after setting ACC records in winning both the 100m and 400m hurdles at the NCAA East Regional in Tallahassee, FL. Harrison was also ACC Champion in the 400m hurdles and runner-up in the 100m hurdles. She was an NCAA All-American indoors in the 60m hurdles.

Johnson coached another exciting sophomore to great individual success in 2008. Kristi Castlin was NCAA runner-up in the 60m hurdles during the indoor season, then ACC Champion in the 100m hurdles outdoors. She was also All-Region in the high hurdles outdoors after a fifth-place finish in Tallahassee.

Johnson also led the women's 4x400m relay team to ACC Championships in 2008, both indoor and outdoor. The 4x4 team went on to finish runner-up in the NCAA East Region, while the 4x100m relay also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He coached Patrice Potts, the ACC's indoor 60m champion as well. Off the field, one of his athletes, Sherlenia Green, was a CoSIDA Academic All-American.

The 2006-07 season put the Virginia Tech women's sprints and hurdles group on the map from a national standpoint. Johnson coached three NCAA indoor All-Americans, as well as three individual ACC Champions. He coached Harrison to All-America status in both the 100m and 400m hurdles, while Castlin earned the honor in both the 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles. Castlin won the NCAA East Region Championship in the 100m hurdles, while Harrison claimed the first of her two regional crowns in the 400m hurdles. Johnson also coached Potts to ACC titles in both the 60m and 100m dashes.

Johnson's student-athletes have experienced great success on the international scene as well. Both Castlin and Harrison earned gold medals in the summer of 2007 at the Pan American Junior Championships. Castlin won the 100m hurdles with a meet record, while Harrison accomplished the same feat in the 400m hurdles. Harrison was also silver medalist in the 100m hurdles. Castlin was silver medalist in the 100m hurdles at the NACAC Under-23 Championships earlier this month in Mexico.

Prior to his four-year appointment at Virginia Tech, Johnson spent two years as an assistant at Southern Illinois. Prior to that stop, he assisted with the instruction of sprints, hurdles, and jumps at the University of Arkansas from 1999-2002. The Razorbacks won back-to-back SEC "triple crown" championships during that time.

Johnson earned an undergraduate degree in kinesiology from Arkansas in 2000. He earned one varsity letter with the Razorbacks' nationally-renowned program. As a sprinter, he helped Arkansas to four SEC indoor and outdoor championships and the 1998 NCAA Outdoor National Championship. He competed under legendary coach John McDonnell, who retired this year after leading Arkansas to an unprecedented 42 NCAA championships.

In 1995, Johnson was a member of the "triple crown" National Championship track & field team at Blinn College in Texas. He also was a 1996 South Coast Conference champion in the 400m at Long Beach City College before moving on to Arkansas.

Johnson is married to the former Lilly Montgomery, a former communication skills instructor at Virginia Tech. She is a Ph.D. candidate. The couple has four children, Desirae (13), Lawrence (8), Laniah (4), and Lukas (3).

Unbelievable

09:25, 30 July 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Good Luck Clemson...you have a snake on your hands. Trust him with open eyes only.

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10:24, 1 August 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

why do you say that

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02:04, 2 August 2008 .. Posted by PG county

How long did you expect for him to stay at VaTech?
VaTech is not known for its sprints, he won at VaTech with two hurdlers and sprinters that were ok at best. Clemson would have never recruited some of those girls along with Miami, Florida State, or any of the powers in the deep south. Who is to say that VaTech would committed to having a very good program? Let's not forget they are a football school in the mid-east atlantic, history tells us that football schools in that region are not to committed to track(Hampton U., Saint Augustine's College, and Norfolk State U. are exceptions), but VaTech has a very strong throws program.

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02:28, 2 August 2008 .. Posted by PG County

To the first anonymous comment, sounds as if you are a very disgruntled VaTech supporter. I guess he was not a snake when VaTech won the ACC's that first year was he? Be honest, how could in your right mind pass up a chance to coach Clemson? Financial support, tradition (more than VaTech has ever had), better high school athletes in a closer proximity(Florida,Georgia, South Carolina,and North Carolina). You can not pass up that chance to run that program. The best high school athletes in VA live in the 757 area, chances of them coming to VaTech on a track scholarship are very slim when they are recruited by out of state compeition. Hampton U. has been very strong in their commitment to track and field I hope one day that VaTech can come close to that commitment.

my old blinn runnin mate

09:50, 2 November 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

"lil shitty" damn im proud of dude he was part of the last year blinn track team.....if any one has ever heard of tim montgomery he gave him the name lil shitty. although Blinn fucked over its track program the athletes still made the best of it.