Lamont Johnson enters his third year as a member of the Urban Knights coaching staff after many years as a volunteer assistant at some of the nation’s premier programs and conferences.
In 2012-13, their first year eligible for the post-season, Urban Knights, head coach Charles Ryan, and his coaching staff did something no NCAA DII program has ever done: Win two NCAA Division II Championships. Academy of Art produced 32 NCAA All-Americans across the indoor and outdoor campaigns and the Knights achieved a total of 44 new program records (15 indoor, 29 outdoor) that season, including a historic weekend at the 2013 Drake Relays that saw the ART U women's team
tie the NCAA record in the 4x100m shuttle hurdles (52.50) and
break the Drake Relays record in the 4x100m (44.19).
Working with Coach Ryan in 2011-12, Johnson helped ART U to a season highlighted by a historic first meet at Boise State and many elite performances including an Urban Knight, Vashti Thomas, in the
U.S. Olympic Trials and
USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships. The ART U men's and women's track & field teams combined to set a grand total of 39 new program records (21 in indoor, 18 in outdoor) that season.
For the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, Johnson served on the University of Alabama coaching staff under Former Olympic Medalist and Hall of Fame Coach Harvey Glance. Assisting Glance continued well beyond the conclusion of the NCAA season. Their star pupil Kirani James, after winning the NCAA Championship (400m) took his talents to Daegu, South Korea. Competing for his native Grenada, James became his counties first ever medalist in spectacular fashion with a come from behind upset victory over the defending champion. The result was a World Championship Gold Medal at 400m.
Johnson’s success as a volunteer assistant landed him a position on staff at Troy University just down the road in Alabama, where he was set to assist with the sprints and hurdles athletes, however, the opportunity to return to California and help build the foundations of a national power was an opportunity he could not pass up.
Prior to Alabama, Johnson was on staff at the University of New Mexico under the tutelage of former college teammate Leo Settle. While at New Mexico, Johnson assisted in the development of the men’s and women’s sprints and relays, leading numerous athletes to the NCAA Championships and All Conference accolades. Those athletes included Ariel Burr (400m/200m), 2009 indoor All-American and school record holder for indoor and outdoor 400m (46.24indoor/45.64outdoors) Jarrin Solomon who represented Trinidad & Tobago at the 2007, 2009, and 2011 World Outdoor Championships and a host of other international meets for his native country, and the first regional qualifying women's 4x100 team in UNM history.
Johnson’s dive into coaching started at his alma matter with the Cyclones of Iowa State University. After completing his collegiate career, Johnson spent six years working with the Cyclone sprinters and relay teams under former head coach Steve Lynn and former assistant Scott Roberts. Johnson helped train a powerful ISU sprint and hurdle group, including the men's indoor 4x400 relay team which broke one of Iowa State's most storied records and ranked sixth in the nation with a time of 3:07.39 in 2007.
In his own time at Iowa State, Johnson earned All-Big 12 honors as a sprinter and was a member of NCAA Championship Qualifying sprint relays in 1999. Johnson has also spent some time on the professional scene. Johnson is a five-time U.S. Indoor Championships qualifier, advancing to the semifinals twice in the 60. He has also qualified for the U.S. Outdoor Championships, the US Olympic trials, ran relays for Team USA, and spent some time on the International Athletics circuits.
Johnson earned his B.A. in Sociology, with a minor in Criminal Justice, from Iowa State in 2003. He also earned his associate's degree in Physical Education from Long Beach City College in 1997.
Johnson hails from Bronx, NY and will serve as a recruiting coordinator for the Urban Knights, while also assisting head coach Charles Ryan with the development of the sprint/jump/hurdle/relay athletes and events.
