College Baseball News – Chris Johnson Named Assistant Baseball at Guilford College

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Guilford College Athletics Director Tom Palombo announced the hiring of Chris Johnson as the Quakers’ assistant baseball coach. Johnson, who also assisted the Quakers from 2007-08, will serve as head coach Nick Black’s ’02 pitching coach.

Coach Chris Johnson

Johnson spent the previous four years at Rockingham Community College (RCC) in Wentworth, North Carolina, where he served two years as Director of Student Life and Athletics and two seasons as head baseball coach and student life program assistant.

Johnson helped turn RCC’s baseball program around and compiled a 39-51 overall record. Armed with two healthy recruiting classes, the Eagles posted a 24-24 record in 2012 and made a nine-win improvement in conference play from the preceding year. In addition to enhancing the school’s baseball facility and upgrading the team’s competitiveness, he helped 11 students graduate to four-year institutions, including four who received baseball scholarships. Seven Eagles earned RCC academic honors, including Zac Royals, who was the baseball team’s first recipient of the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Exemplary Academic Achievement Award winner.

Johnson started his college coaching career in 2001 as a volunteer assistant and outfielders coach for his alma mater, Southeastern College in Lakeland, Florida. He spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons as a volunteer pitching coach and recruiting assistant at Wilkes (N.C.) Community College. Johnson earned his first full-time position in 2010 when he was named Montreat College’s pitching coach.

Johnson has also coached in the high school ranks, including one season at Monacan High School in Richmond, Virginia. While there, he served as a staff instructor at the Richmond Baseball Academy South. In 2006 Johnson was the top assistant coach at North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The nationally ranked Vikings went 30-2, won the Metro Conference championship, and reached the 4A state semifinals. Johnson was an assistant coach for Bartow (Fla.) High School’s 2002 baseball team that won a district title, regional championship, and played for the Florida 3A State Championship.

Johnson has held coaching positions with the Post 128 Jr. American Legion program in Winston-Salem and with the Statesville Owls of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League.

Johnson lettered one year at Lenoir (N.C.) Community College before finishing his college baseball career at Southeastern under head coach Scott Laing. He also played on the school’s basketball team one season and graduated with a psychology degree in 2002.

Johnson’s father, Larry, played professional baseball from 1966-1973. Signed in 1966 by Pittsburgh Pirates scout Syd Thrift, Johnson spent the majority of his career in the Baltimore Orioles’ minor-league system.

Chris resides in Winston-Salem with his wife, Rachel, and their son, Landon-Kai.