The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Volleyball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Former Student-Athletes Comment on Hiring of Tonya Johnson
Tonya Johnson returned to the Texas Volleyball coaching staff in 2014 after a five-year stint as head coach of Georgia Tech and is currently in her 14th overall season on Head Coach Jerritt Elliott's staff in 2021.
The 2020 season saw Texas return to the Final Four and the NCAA Championship match, coming up short against Kentucky to finish as the NCAA Runner Up. The season was unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Longhorns sweeping through the Big 12 schedule during the Fall of 2020 before playing a spring non-conference schedule to prepare for the NCAA Tournament. Texas earned the No. 4 overall seed at the tournament, hosted entirely in Omaha, Nebraska, and defeated No. 13 Penn State, No. 5 Nebraska and No. 1 Wisconsin on the way to the title match. The Longhorns landed five players on the AVCA All-American teams, led by first teamers Logan Eggleston and Brionne Butler. Additionally, Jhenna Gabriel was named to the third team and Skylar Fields and Asjia O'Neal received Honorable Mention All-America accolades. Eggleston had a highly decorated season, being named the Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Student-Athlete of the Year and AVCA Southwest Regional Player of the Year.
In her return to Texas in 2014, Tonya Johnson picked up right where she left off in 2008 after a five-year stint as the head coach at Georgia Tech. In the first two years of her return, she helped lead the Longhorns to a NCAA Semifinal appearance in 2014 and a back-to-back NCAA Final appearances in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to becoming the seventh head volleyball coach in Georgia Tech history on Jan. 9, 2009, Johnson spent six years at Texas where she helped lay the foundation of one of today’s perennial powerhouse programs.
Johnson previously served in the same capacity at UT in 2008, following a five-year stint as an assistant coach at Texas under Elliott. During her time in Austin, she helped guide the Longhorns to the 2008 NCAA Final Four following back-to-back Regional Final appearances in 2006 and 2007.
In five seasons at Georgia Tech, Johnson compiled an overall record of 85-72 including a 50-50 mark in ACC play. She coached 10 All-ACC selections, including four-time All-America Monique Mead, and guided the Jackets to the 2009 NCAA Tournament, their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2004. Under Johnson’s wing, Mead and Bailey Hunter signed contracts to play professional volleyball following their time at Tech.
While at Tech, Johnson was named the co-head coach of the 2012 U.S. Volleyball National A2 team that earned the silver medal, and helped Mead to the 2010 U.S. Volleyball Women's National A2 Program and middle blocker Chanell Clark-Bibbs to 2013 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team (WJNT).
Recognized in the volleyball circle as an excellent recruiter on the national level with well-established ties to the Lone Star State, Johnson helped Elliott land the nation's second-ranked recruiting classes in three consecutive seasons (2006-08) during her first stint at Texas. UT’s 2009 recruiting class was also considered to be among the best in the nation, with the signing of the top- and fifth-ranked prep players in Bailey Webster and Sha’Dare McNeal.
In addition to serving as the recruiting coordinator, Johnson worked with the Longhorns' outside hitters, three of whom received All-America accolades over her last three seasons at Texas. Juliann Faucette, the National Freshman of the Year in 2007, was tabbed a first-team AVCA All-American in 2007. Ashley Engle, a right-side hitter that earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2006, was named a first-team AVCA All-American in 2008 after being tabbed to the AVCA All-America second team in 2006. Olympian Destinee Hooker received first-team AVCA All-America honors in 2008 after earning second-team accolades in 2007 and honorable mention recognition in 2006.
Prior to her arrival at Texas in 2003, Johnson served as the top volleyball assistant at LSU from 1998-2003 under Fran Flory, and she was responsible for the majority of the Tigers' recruiting efforts. Johnson began her collegiate coaching career as an assistant under Flory at Kentucky in 1995.
Johnson was a four-year letterwinner at LSU from 1987-90, helping the Tigers to Southeastern Conference titles in 1989 and 1990. She led her Tiger team to the NCAA Final Four her senior year after LSU advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1989. Prior to joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Johnson taught at Wellington Landings Middle School in Boca Raton, Fla., while serving as an assistant coach at Olympic Heights High School and coaching the Florida Gold Coast club team.
