Vincent Johnson - Track & Field Coach - Kansas State University Athletics

Vincent Johnson

Title:
Assistant Coach
Phone:
(785) 532-6567

The Johnson File

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Hometown: Biloxi, Mississippi
Education: Alcorn State '01

COACHING HISTORY

2011-Present: K-State Assistant Coach
2007-2011: Lancaster High School (Texas)
2006-2007: North Panola High School (Mississippi)
2004-2006: Nacogdoches High School (Texas)
2002-2004: Alcorn State Assistant Coach
2001-2002: Alcorn State Graduate Assistant

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Two-Time Big 12 Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Big 12 Champions (2017, 2018)

Coached Shardia Lawrence to NCAA Triple Jump title in 2019 (First in K-State history)

Coached Wildcats to three individual Big 12 titles in 2019 (Shardia Lawrence ID triple jump, OD triple jump) (Taishia Pryce, OD long jump)

Coached Jharyl Bowry to consecutive Big 12 indoor long jump titles in 2013 and 2014

Ranked in the top-10 of Track & Field News Recruiting Class rankings twice

Coached Devin Field to USATF Junior Championship in the triple jump

USATF Level II Certification in jumps and sprints

Vincent Johnson enters his tenth year with Kansas State as the sprints and jumps coach and recruiting coordinator and brings extensive experience coaching elite high school and club track and field athletes in Texas.

In his time at K-State, Johnson has helped guide the horizontal jumps and sprints to new heights, guiding student-athletes to a national championship, individual conference championships and numerous All-America honors.

In 2019, K-State had its first women's NCAA triple jump champion, as Shardia Lawrence took the triple jump crown with a final jump of 13.99m/45-10.75, while breaking the K-State school record three times in the competition. With the jump, Lawrence went down as the indoor and outdoor triple jump school record holder, while becoming the first woman to win the event in K-State history. Lawrence also swept the Big 12 indoor/outdoor triple jump titles during the season.

Along with Lawrence, Johnson coached Jullane Walker to his first NCAA Championship in the long jump, while coaching eight individuals to the NCAA West Preliminary, including four between the men's and women's triple and long jump. Johnson also coached Taishia Pryce (long jump) and Lawrence (triple jump) to Big 12 outdoor championships, while Konstantina Romaiou (triple jump) and Walker (200 meters) finished as the runner-up.

During the 2017-18 season, Johnson saw great success from several student-athletes that resulted in several All-American honors, including Shardia Lawrence who earned honorable mention All-American honors in the triple jump, placing 23rd at the NCAA Championships with a jump of 12.34m/40-06 (3.0). Johnson also helped coach the 4x100m relay team of Akia Guerrier, A'keyla Mitchell, Ranae McKenzie and Claudette Allen that placed eighth overall at the NCAA Championships, earning first team All-American honors.

During the 2015-16 season, Johnson saw success from both Alyssa Kelly and Nija Collier. Kelly qualified for the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships and finished 22nd with a leap of 12.29m/40-04w (2.7), while Collier was the Big 12 indoor triple jump runner-up.

In 2014, Johnson saw junior Devin Field excel under the tutelage of Johnson. Leaping to heights not seen at K-State since Olympian Kenny Harrison, Field earned All-American first team honors in both the long jump and triple jump. The Port Arthur, Texas, native in the process became only the eighth Wildcat men’s athlete to earn first team honors in multiple events outdoors and joined Harrison as the only other K-State jumper to earn first team honors in both events at the same national outdoor meet.

Also winning the Big 12 triple jump title outdoors, Field was one of several Johnson-coached athletes to perform well as he, along with Alyssa Kelly, both recorded personal bests in the long jump and triple jump. Coupled with Jharyl Bowry’s second-straight Big 12 indoor title in the long jump and Johnson’s athletes combined for eight scoring performances at conference meets and two conference titles during the 2013-14 season.

In 2013, two athletes coached by Johnson excelled in equally impressive fashion. On the men’s side, Bowry was the Big 12 Indoor Champion in the long jump, finishing 1-2 with fellow teammate Ifeanyi Otuonye. Bowry also earned USTFCCCA All-America First Team outdoor honors. For the women, sprinter Jasmine Gibbs broke the school record in the 60 meter dash in the Wildcat’s first indoor event of the season, K-State All-Comers. Her mark of 7.41 seconds bested the previous high of 7.46 seconds set in 1997 by Karissa Stewart.

Johnson’s first year with K-State was highlighted by his part in helping the Wildcats land the No. 6 women’s recruiting class in the nation as ranked by Track & Field News. Johnson would help the Wildcats to several more appearances on the top recruiting classes in the nation.

Before joining K-State for the 2011-12 season, Johnson spent four years at Lancaster High School in Lancaster, Texas. He served as an assistant coach and jumps coordinator and helped lead the team to four straight Texas Class 4A State Championships. While coaching in Lancaster, Johnson also founded and organized a jump specific club called the Texas ‘FACES’ Track Club.

Prior to his time in Lancaster, Johnson spent one year at North Panola High School in Mississippi as the head coach to lay the foundation for a new track and field program at the school. Johnson also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Nacogdoches High School in Texas where he worked specifically with the sprinters and jumpers.

Johnson’s athletes have seen tremendous individual success in addition to the state titles his teams have won. In particular, 2011 was an especially notable year as Johnson’s athletes’ accolades included international gold medals, a USA Junior Champion and athlete of the year awards. On the international level, Johnson coached sprinter Jennifer Madu to a gold medal in the 100 meters at the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships in France and Field to a gold medal in the long jump at the 2011 Pan American Junior Championships. Field’s most recent effort internationally saw him finish second in the long jump at the North America, Central America, and Caribbean Under-23 Championships.

In national competition, Field won the long jump title at the USA Junior Championships. Field and Madu were also named as both The Dallas Morning News Dallas-Fort Worth area and Texas Gatorade Track and Field Athletes of the Year.

Along with extensive high school coaching experience, Johnson has collegiate coaching experience working as a graduate assistant and then a full-time assistant coach for his alma mater Alcorn State. After earning his degree from Alcorn State in recreation studies, Johnson then served as a graduate assistant while earning his masters in health and physical education. During his time at Alcorn State as a coach, Johnson was charged with overseeing the jumpers and supervising the freshman athletes. He helped coach athletes to eight Southwestern Athletic Conference titles.

As an athlete for Alcorn State, Johnson was highly successful in the field events as well. He won three SWAC titles, two in the triple jump and one in the long jump and was named SWAC Most Outstanding Performer. He also was a three-time qualifier for NCAA Regionals in the long jump.

Johnson has a Level II certification from USATF in jumps and sprints, Hurdles and Relays Specialist through the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Academy. He and his wife, Tonoher, have two children, a daughter, Gili Mi’Joi, and a son, Nisbyc Nehemiah.