Joel Johnson - Women's Hockey Coach - University of Minnesota Athletics

Joel Johnson

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
johns458@umn.edu
Phone:
612-624-1015

The 2020-21 season marked associate head coach Joel Johnson’s 16th season on the Golden Gopher women’s hockey coaching staff.

Johnson has helped lead Minnesota to six national titles in his tenure with the Gophers after coaching the Minnesota program during the 2000, 2004, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016 championship seasons. Johnson returned to the Gophers’ bench for the 2010-11 season after previously serving as an assistant coach from 1999-00 to 2003-04. Johnson primarily coaches the Gopher defense; he also assists with special teams, game analysis, and recruiting.

In addition to his duties with the Gophers, Johnson has extensive coaching experience with USA Hockey. Johnson was named the interim head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team in April 2021. He served as the head coach for the U.S. Under-22 Women’s Select Team during the 2019-20 season, including coaching the Red, White, and Blue to a 2-1 series win over Canada in the August 2019 three-game series. Johnson was on staff with the U.S. Women’s National Team as an assistant during the 2018-19 season at the 2018 Four Nations Cup and at the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship where the U.S. won gold at both tournaments. He led the U.S. Under-22 Women’s Select Team into the Under-22 Series vs. Canada as head coach as well, helping the team to a three-game sweep in August 2018.

Johnson served as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team for four seasons from 2014-15 to 2017-18 and led the U.S. to four consecutive gold medals at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championships. He also led the club at four Under-18 Series vs. Canada in Kamloops, B.C., in August 2014 (1-2); in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August 2015 (1-2); in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August 2016 (2-1); and in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August 2017 (2-1). Johnson’s USA Hockey experience also includes serving as a member of the coaching staff for the 2012 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship and the 2013 Women’s Under-18 Series. He has coached at various U.S. Women’s Select Festivals as well.

Over the last 11 seasons since Johnson returned to the Gophers’ bench, Minnesota made five-straight NCAA national championship game appearances from 2012 to 2016, winning back-to-back national titles in 2012 and 2013 and again in 2015 and 2016, along with recording a perfect 41-0-0 season in 2012-13. The Gophers’ defensive corps has ranked first or second in the nation for scoring defense in four of the last nine seasons, including allowing an average of just 0.88 goals per game to lead the nation 2012-13. Five Gopher defense have combined for nine All-American awards since 2010-11 and 14 different defense have combined for 29 All-WCHA honors over the past 11 seasons as well.

The 2010-11 season saw Johnson return to the University of Minnesota women’s hockey staff after a six-year hiatus. Johnson spent six seasons coaching at Bethel University from 2004-10, including three years as the men’s hockey head coach. Along with his men’s hockey responsibilities, he was also the men’s and women’s golf coach and prior to that, was the soccer coach where he earned MIAC Coach of the Year honors.

In his first year as the men’s hockey head coach, Johnson guided the Royals to a 16-7-2 overall record and an 11-4-1 mark in the MIAC. At the helm of Royal hockey, he posted a career record of 37-35-3 and 26-21-1 within conference play. As an assistant coach, Johnson helped the team to its first-ever MIAC regular season championship in 2006-07. The Royals followed with their first-ever playoff title and advanced to the NCAA national tournament in 2007. While Johnson was associated with Bethel, the team was a playoff contender each year.

During his first stint with the Gophers, Johnson was an assistant women’s coach at Minnesota for five years and was behind the bench for two national championships in 2000 and 2004. Like his current role, Johnson primarily worked with the Gopher defense. He coached some of the nation’s best blue-liners as Courtney Kennedy and Ronda Curtin were top-three Patty Kazmaier finalists and first-team All-Americans. Kennedy, Curtin, and Winny Brodt all received WCHA Defensive Player of the Year awards during his tenure. Also in Johnson’s first span with the Gophers, Minnesota made three trips to the NCAA Frozen Four (2002, 2003 and 2004) and won WCHA titles in 2002 and 2004.

A 1996 graduate of Bethel with a degree in physical education and minors in health education and coaching, Johnson was a three-sport athlete for the Royals and earned four letters in soccer, hockey and baseball. Johnson served as a captain for all three teams and won all-conference and all-region awards during his career along with team most valuable and most inspirational players awards. As a soccer player, he finished his career ranked second in assists (21) and fifth in points (43). He also ranked among the school’s top 10 in career hits, runs and RBIs in baseball, batting .350 for his career. Johnson scored 40 points from the blue line during his first two years of hockey before a back injury curtailed his career. Following his playing days for the Royals, Johnson started his coaching career and coached soccer and hockey at his alma mater. He also was an assistant coach for Park/Woodbury High School during the 1996-97 season and coached both soccer and baseball at New Life Academy for two years. Johnson, his wife Shannon, daughter Megan, and son Jacob reside in White Bear Lake, Minn.

Johnson at a Glance

Education

B.A. Physical & Health Education, Bethel, 1996
M.A. Organizational Leadership, Bethel, 2007

Coaching Accomplishments

Named interim head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team in April 2021
Served as head coach of U.S. Under-22 Women’s Select Team for 2019-20 season
Served as assistant coach of U.S. Women’s National Team for 2018-19 season
Served as head coach of U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team for the 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 seasons
Received 2017 AHCA Women's Hockey Assistant Coach Award
Returned for his second stint as a Minnesota assistant for the 2010-11 season
Spent six years with the Bethel men's hockey team, including three seasons as the head coach
Helped the Royals to their first-ever MIAC regular season championship
Coached Patty Kazmaier finalists Courtney Kennedy (2000-01), Ronda Curtin (2001-02), Megan Bozek (2012-13), and Sydney Baldwin (2017-18)
Minnesota defense led the WCHA in defense scoring with 34 goals in 2001-02
Coached three consecutive WCHA Defensive Players of the Year, Winny Brodt (1999-00), Courtney Kennedy (2000-01), and Ronda Curtin (2001-02), along with two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Year Rachel Ramsey (2013-14 and 2014-15) and the 2018 WCHA Player of the Year and WCHA Defensive Player of the Year Sydney Baldwin (2017-18)
Coached Madeline Wethington to WCHA Rookie of the Year honors in 2019-20
Gopher defense allowed the fewest goals in the nation in 2011-12 (1.32 goals per game) and 2012-13 (0.88 goals per game)

Athletic Accomplishments

Finished baseball career at Bethel among top 10 in hits, runs and RBIs
Finished four-year soccer career second in career assists and fifth in points at Bethel
Bethel team captain in soccer, hockey, and baseball

Honors and Awards