Tonya Johnson Season 2024

Tonya Johnson, who helped LSU to a pair of Southeastern Conference titles and the program’s first Final Four appearance in 1990 as a player, returned to her alma mater as head coach of the Tiger volleyball team, director of athletics Scott Woodward announced on Dec. 22, 2021.

Johnson, a four-year letterwinner for the Tigers from 1987-90, served as an assistant coach on the LSU staff from 1998-2002. The native of Zachary, La., returns to Baton Rouge after working as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas since 2014. Her recruiting efforts helped lay the foundation for Texas becoming a volleyball powerhouse during her time in Austin.

Since returning to LSU, Coach Johnson has coached four AVCA All-Region selections, including Jurnee Robinson, the 2023 AVCA South Region Freshman of the Year, and five College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honorees (CSC – formally known as CoSIDA).

In the 2023 season, LSU finished with an 11-17 overall record. The team was led by All-SEC Freshman selection Jurnee Robinson and LSU graduate Anita Anwusi. Robinson, who as the AVCA South Region and Louisiana Sports Writer’s Freshman of the Year ranked No. 5 in the SEC with 4.46 points and No. 6 in the SEC with 3.87 kills per set. Robinson’s 3.87 kills per set also ranked No. 5 among the 2023 NCAA Division I freshmen, and No. 8 in the program’s single season record book.

Anwusi turned in one of her most productive offensive seasons in the purple and gold with a team-high .335 hitting percentage (No. 7 in the SEC) behind 201 kills and had 15 aces. She also paced the team with 88 blocks, including 13 solo blocks. Anwusi concluded her career ranked No. 9 all-time at LSU with 434 total blocks and No. 10 all-time with a .296 career hitting percentage.

Other accolades for the Tigers in 2023 include Erin Carmichael and Jade Demps’ appearance on the CSC Academic All-District Team.

In Johnson’s first season leading the Tigers, the team finished with a 16-14 record, including a 9-9 SEC record that featured two Top 25 victories against No. 20 Arkansas (Sept. 21) and No. 15 Kentucky (Sept. 24). It was the volleyball program’s first winning season since 2019 which led to LSU’s first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2017. The Fighting Tigers also won its first NCAA Tournament match since 2014 with a 3-1 decision over No. 8 seed Hawai’i in Stanford, Calif. (Dec. 2) in the first round. Johnson picked up her 100th career head coaching victory in the four-set win at Texas A&M on November 16, 2022, in Bryan-College Station, Texas.

Johnson coached three student-athletes to 2022 AVCA All-Region accolades. Outside hitter Sanaa Dotson and libero Ella Larkin was tabbed to the AVCA South All-Region team, and middle blocker Anita Anwusi was named AVCA South All-Region Honorable Mention.

Prior to returning to LSU, Johnson had two stints at Texas that spanned 14 years. Johnson was part of Longhorn teams that reached the Final Four five times, including three appearances in the national championship match.

Texas claimed eight Big 12 titles during that 14-year span and compiled an overall record of 356-66 as the Longhorns advanced to the NCAA Tournament 13 times. Texas has finished its season ranked in the Top 5 in seven of the past eight years.

Johnson was a four-year letterwinner at LSU from 1987-90, helping the Tigers to Southeastern Conference titles in 1989 and 1990. She led LSU to its first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance in 1990 and helped the Tigers advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 1989.

Johnson helped lead Texas to the 2020 national championship match, and she coached five Longhorns that earned 2020 All-America recognition, including first-team selections Logan Eggleston and Brionne Butler. Eggleston was named the Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Student-Athlete of the Year and AVCA Southwest Regional Player of the Year.

Johnson served as head coach from 2009-13 at Georgia Tech, where she directed the Yellow Jackets to the 2009 NCAA Tournament. She compiled an overall mark of 85-72 at Georgia Tech and coached 10 All-ACC selections, including four-time All-America Monique Mead.

While at Georgia Tech, Johnson was named the co-head coach of the 2012 U.S. Volleyball National A2 team that earned the silver medal.

Prior to her tenure at Georgia Tech, Johnson first worked at Texas as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2003-08. During her first tenure in Austin, she helped guide the Longhorns to the 2008 NCAA Final Four, following back-to-back NCAA regional final appearances in 2006 and 2007.

Recognized in the volleyball circle as an excellent recruiter on the national level, Johnson helped head coach Jerritt Elliott land the nation’s second-ranked recruiting classes in three consecutive seasons (2006-08).

In addition to serving as the recruiting coordinator, Johnson worked with the Longhorns’ outside hitters, three of whom received All-America accolades over including Juliann Faucette, the 2007 National Freshman of the Year; Ashley Engle, the 2006 Big 12 Freshman of the Year; and Destinee Hooker, a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

Johnson served as the top assistant coach at LSU from 1998-2002 under head coach 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.

Before becoming a coach on the collegiate level, 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.

Tonya Johnson Head Coaching Record

Tonya Johnson’s Collegiate Coaching Record at Texas

Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

Year  Record   Rank     Postseason

2021       27-2      No.5         NCAA Regional Finalist

2020       27-2      No. 2       NCAA runner up

2019       23-4      No. 8       NCAA Regional Semifinal

2018       23-5      No. 5       NCAA Regional Finalist

2017       27-3      No. 5        NCAA Regional Finalist

2016       27-5      No. 2        NCAA runner up

2015       30-3      No. 2        NCAA runner up

2014       27-3      No. 5        NCAA Final Four

2008       29-4      No. 4       NCAA Final Four

2007       27-4      No. 6        NCAA Regional Final

2006       24-7      No. 7        NCAA Regional Final

2005       24-5      No. 16      NCAA Second Round

2004       26-5      No. 11      NCAA Regional Semifinalist

2003       15-14