Augsburg University Athletics

Johnson transferred to Augsburg from Minnesota-Duluth after his freshman year and competed on both the men’s hockey and tennis teams. After graduating with a social studies degree from Augsburg in 1968, he began working as a teacher and hockey coach. In 32 seasons at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School (1970-2002), Johnson’s teams won 401 games, earning both conference and section coach of the year honors twice. In 2000-01, he was named the John Mariucci Minnesota State Class AA Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association, and he received the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association’s George Haun Award in 2003. Johnson was inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007. He also served as an assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame in 1977-78. Johnson was named athletic/activities director at Armstrong in 1995 and served in that position until 2003. He was named Region 6AA Athletic Director of the Year in 2003. He served as president of the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association from 1993-95, and has worked as the organization’s executive director from 1999-2006. Johnson has served as a coach and administrator at numerous levels of hockey for the Armstrong Youth Hockey Association, Minnesota Hockey (MAHA), and USA Hockey. In 2009, he was elected into the Armstrong High School and Classic Lake Conference Hall of Fame.  Johnson and his wife Lois (Alum ’68, passed away in 2007) have three children, Leah, Thomas, and Aaron. All three children attended Augsburg. In 2006-07, Johnson returned to his alma mater to be an assistant coach for the Auggie men’s hockey team, where he coached his son, Aaron, who was named MIAC Player of the Year and earned Division III All-American honors for the second straight year.