Friday, January 13, 2017
by Seattle Pacific Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – For 13 seasons, Chris Johnson lived and breathed Seattle Pacific volleyball.
 
Now, the man who guided the program to four Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles, five NCAA tournaments, and nearly 200 victories, has decided it's time to pour his passion into something else.
 
Johnson has announced his retirement from coaching after 12 years as head of the Falcons program, preceded by one season as an assistant.
 
"There are nothing but great feelings of respect for the school and the people here – I want all the best for SPU," Johnson said. "Doing this for 13 years has taken a lot of time and a lot of commitment, and has been kind of an all-consuming career. I just got to a point where I need to be doing something different."
 
Johnson, a native of nearby Bellevue, first came to SPU in 2004, joining the staff of then-head coach Kellie Ryan. When Ryan left following that '04 season, he was elevated to the top position. Johnson departs as just the third head coach in the 31-year history of the program.
 
"It has been a great experience here, and I've loved my time here," said Johnson, whose final record of 192-136 included the school's milestone 400th win (Oct. 25, 2007, a home sweep of Alaska Fairbanks) and 500th win (a four-game victory at arch-rival and then-No. 8 ranked Western Washington on Oct. 24, 2013). "I loved coaching my players, and I think the quality of people and student-athletes SPU attracts was a great advantage to being here
 
"It was a very fun time of my life, and a very good experience."
 
"I want to thank Chris for his many years of care for the athletes on our volleyball team," SPU athletic director Jackson Stava said. "I know that he has tirelessly worked to provide them not only with the most competitive experience possible, but also an experience where they could grow into the young women whom God has created them to be. His impact on hundreds of athletes has been significant, and I thank him wholeheartedly for that."

Johnson's first two seasons were extraordinarily successful. The Falcons won back-to-back GNAC titles, going 22-6 overall in 2005, then 24-3 in 2006. That meant automatic trips to the NCAA West Regionals. His 2005 team beat both of that year's national finalists – Grand Valley State of Michigan, and Nebraska Kearney, the latter ranked No. 1 nationally at the time – in preseason play.

After a 15-11 record in 2007, and a struggle to an 8-18 mark in 2008, Johnson's Falcons started climbing back into the national picture. They forged a 17-11 regular-season mark in 2009, and squeezed into the final spot of the West Regionals, falling to host and perennial powerhouse Cal State San Bernardino in the first round.
 
Then came the record-breaking 2010 season. Seattle Pacific won its first 16 matches, the best start in school history, Of those 16 wins, 11 of them – including the last seven in a row – were three-game sweeps. The Falcons earned a share of the GNAC title with Western Washington at 16-2.
 
In the NCAAs at San Bernardino, SPU scored dramatic five-game victories against Cal State Los Angeles and Western Washington to earn its first trip to the regional championship match. The host Coyotes won that in three, but Seattle Pacific still finished with a best-ever record of 26-3 (.897 winning percentage).
 
From that team, Nikki Lowell and Anna Herold were named All-American, and those two, along with Paige Hoffman and Shelby Swanson, were voted to the All-Region squad.
 
"It was just the chemistry of that team and the coaches," Johnson said. "The mix of the players on that team, the mix of talent and tenacity and just the desire to win. We did not have a weak spot. That's what allowed us to make the Sweet 16."
 
Johnson had the Falcons back at NCAAs in 2011, marking a school-record third straight postseason appearance.
 
Along with the four All-Americans, seven players coached by Johnson garnered All-Region honors. In the GNAC, 11 players earned a total of 17 all-conference first-team awards. He also had three GNAC Freshmen of the Year and one Newcomer of the Year. He was Coach of the Year once, and co-Coach of the Year three times.
 
Johnson took just as much pride in classroom success. During his 12 years, 32 players earned a place on the GNAC All-Academic Team, including a school-record eight in 2014.
 
So what's next? Johnson hasn't reached any firm decisions yet.
 
"I wanted to do this now so we can get a good new coach in here," Johnson said. "Now is the right time to hire that person and get them in here in time for spring.
 
"I still love the sport," he concluded. "It has given me a lot, and I hope I've been able to give as much back to it."