Bruce Johnson (Augsburg '68), who was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, enters his fourth season as an Augsburg assistant coach in 2009-10, bringing more than 40 years of hockey experience to the position. Johnson played hockey at Augsburg under former head coach Ed Saugestad, after transferring from Minnesota-Duluth after his freshman year.
After working for a year at Richfield HS, he moved to Robbinsdale HS in 1969, and the following year, moved to Robbinsdale Armstrong HS, where he was named head coach of the hockey team. In 32 seasons (1970-2002), Johnson won 401 games with the Falcons and earned 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 adminstrator at numerous levels of hockey for the Armstrong Youth Hockey Association, Minnesota Hockey (MAHA), and USA Hockey.
Johnson received his bachelor’s degree in social studies (physical education minor) from Augsburg in 1968, and his master’s degree from St. Thomas in 1976. He has pursued graduate course work at Minnesota, Indiana and St. Thomas, and received his special education certification from St. Thomas in 1986. Johnson and his wife Lois live in Plymouth, Minn., and have three children, Leah, Thomas and Aaron. All three children attended Augsburg, and Aaron earned All-American honors twice as a member of the Augsburg men’s hockey team.
