Upcoming Event: Track & Field versus Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener on December 6, 2025
Track & Field
vs Sharon Colyear-Danville Opener
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Staff Directory
Dan Johnson
- Title:
- Assistant Track & Field Coach
- Email:
Dan Johnson enters his second season with the Utah track & field team in 2025-26.
His first year with the Utes saw both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams qualify for the NCAA Championships – marking the first time in program history for the 4x100m relay squad.
Prior to joining the Women of Utah, Johnson served as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2021-24).  The Bulls saw great success during his tenure and was capped off by senior Christina Wende – who advanced to the finals of the US Olympic Trials in the triple jump.
While at Buffalo, Johnson led his jumpers to six individual MAC titles while setting five school records. Meanwhile, in the combined events, Scilla Benussi captured the MAC crown in the heptathlon while posting second-best mark in program history. Benussi would go on to become the 2023 Italian National Champion in the heptathlon.
In his first season with the Bulls, Johnson guided senior Brandon Burke to a MAC Indoor Championship after breaking the school indoor high jump record with a height of 7-2.5.
Before his time at Buffalo, Johnson spent four seasons at Hartford (2017-21) and promoted to associate head coach in 2019. In his time with the Hawks, Johnson’s athletes set 26 new school records while capturing seven America East championship titles. In addition, the Hawks also saw several student-athletes advance to the NCAA Championships under his watch.
Most notably, the 2019-20 indoor season saw Johson coach his and Hartford’s first All-American in Terrell Davis and was later rewarded with the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year award. That indoor season also saw Elizbeth Lodge named the AEC Most Outstanding Field Performer after claiming the pentathlon and high jump titles.
Johnson got his start in the collegiate ranks at VCU where he was a graduate assistant coach (2014-17). During his time in Richmond, the women’s team captured the A-10 Indoor Conference Championship and coached De’Nisha Smith to a pair of Atlantic-10 titles in the 60m hurdles and 400m hurdles (school record).
Prior to joining the Rams, Johnson spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Army where he served as a platoon leader with the Military Police Corp. Johnson also coached track & field at Mililani High School all four years he was stationed in Hawai’i.
As an athlete, Johnson captured the PSAC heptathlon and decathlon crowns his senior season (2011-12). He was also named the PSAC Field Athlete of the Meet and Field Athlete of the Year after posting 4,866 points for a then-school record in the heptathlon at the conference indoor meet. His final campaign culminated with him earning All-America honors in the decathlon after placing 8th-overall at the NCAA Division II Championships (6,642 points). His 6,925 points at the PSAC Outdoor Championships is still stands as the program record.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in political science from East Stroudsburg University (2012) while also being a member of ROTC program. He would go on to earn a master’s in education from VCU through the Center of Sports Leadership in 2017.
Johnson is married to his wife, Meaghan, and have a daughter, Josephine, and a son, Benjamin.
Â
His first year with the Utes saw both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams qualify for the NCAA Championships – marking the first time in program history for the 4x100m relay squad.
Prior to joining the Women of Utah, Johnson served as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2021-24).  The Bulls saw great success during his tenure and was capped off by senior Christina Wende – who advanced to the finals of the US Olympic Trials in the triple jump.
While at Buffalo, Johnson led his jumpers to six individual MAC titles while setting five school records. Meanwhile, in the combined events, Scilla Benussi captured the MAC crown in the heptathlon while posting second-best mark in program history. Benussi would go on to become the 2023 Italian National Champion in the heptathlon.
In his first season with the Bulls, Johnson guided senior Brandon Burke to a MAC Indoor Championship after breaking the school indoor high jump record with a height of 7-2.5.
Before his time at Buffalo, Johnson spent four seasons at Hartford (2017-21) and promoted to associate head coach in 2019. In his time with the Hawks, Johnson’s athletes set 26 new school records while capturing seven America East championship titles. In addition, the Hawks also saw several student-athletes advance to the NCAA Championships under his watch.
Most notably, the 2019-20 indoor season saw Johson coach his and Hartford’s first All-American in Terrell Davis and was later rewarded with the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year award. That indoor season also saw Elizbeth Lodge named the AEC Most Outstanding Field Performer after claiming the pentathlon and high jump titles.
Johnson got his start in the collegiate ranks at VCU where he was a graduate assistant coach (2014-17). During his time in Richmond, the women’s team captured the A-10 Indoor Conference Championship and coached De’Nisha Smith to a pair of Atlantic-10 titles in the 60m hurdles and 400m hurdles (school record).
Prior to joining the Rams, Johnson spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Army where he served as a platoon leader with the Military Police Corp. Johnson also coached track & field at Mililani High School all four years he was stationed in Hawai’i.
As an athlete, Johnson captured the PSAC heptathlon and decathlon crowns his senior season (2011-12). He was also named the PSAC Field Athlete of the Meet and Field Athlete of the Year after posting 4,866 points for a then-school record in the heptathlon at the conference indoor meet. His final campaign culminated with him earning All-America honors in the decathlon after placing 8th-overall at the NCAA Division II Championships (6,642 points). His 6,925 points at the PSAC Outdoor Championships is still stands as the program record.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in political science from East Stroudsburg University (2012) while also being a member of ROTC program. He would go on to earn a master’s in education from VCU through the Center of Sports Leadership in 2017.
Johnson is married to his wife, Meaghan, and have a daughter, Josephine, and a son, Benjamin.
Â
Utah Basketball Media Availability | 12.4.25
Friday, December 05
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Kyle Bonagura
Wednesday, December 03
NSD26: Dylan Waters
Tuesday, December 02
NSD26: Tayson Reid
Tuesday, December 02
