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R.C. Johnson Athletic Director

R.C. Johnson, who has worked for 33 years in athletic administration and previously served as athletic director at Temple University, was named the Director of Athletics at the University of Memphis on December 29, 1995.

Johnson came aboard in February of 1996 and immediately set forth in bringing University of Memphis Tiger athletics into national prominence. Over the last 11-plus years, the dynamic administrator has structured one of the most successful coaching staffs in the history of Tiger athletics and continues to strive for athletic and academic excellence while recognizing the importance of building strong university and community ties.

Since his arrival, Johnson has hired such high-profile coaches as former Clemson head football coach Tommy West and former New Jersey Nets and UMass head basketball coach John Calipari. In addition, several of his most recent hires have garnered success in just a short period of time. Daron Schoenrock led the Tiger baseball team to the 2007 NCAA Regional Tournament for the first time in 13 years this past season, while women's golf coach Jenny Bruun and track coach Kevin Robinson both earned C-USA Coach of the Year honors in 2007. Bruun's Lady Tigers won the C-USA title this season, and Stacy Tate earned a berth in the NCAA Championships. Robinson, a former Tiger assistant who Johnson promoted to head coach over both track programs, led his squad to the 2007 C-USA men's track championship and qualified Gail Lee and Stefan Nerdal for the NCAA championship event.

Johnson is currently spearheading his second major capital campaign which will benefit nearly every area of the Tiger Athletic Department. Included in the $12.9 million project is a new addition to the Athletic Office Building, the newly-completed softball complex, an approaching redesign of the Tiger baseball stadium, a golf practice facility, a renovation of the Finch Center men's basketball practice facility and a Hall of Fame to honor Tiger athletes. Johnson's first capital campaign was previously the largest fund-raising effort in the history of Memphis athletics. The $8 million campaign included a new 8,000-square-foot football and basketball office complex addition, a new basketball practice facility which is still considered one of the best in the country, and a complete renovation of the Murphy Athletic Complex.

R.C. Johnson with his wife, Melba Johnson

During his tenure, Johnson has created the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the Tiger Scholarship Fund Board of Directors and the Athletic Director's Ambassador's Club. The Ambassador's Club, which started with two members in 1997, has reached an all-time high of 24 members under Johnson. A significant revenue source for Tiger Athletics, members of the Ambassador's Club pledge to commit $500,000.

In June 2007, Johnson inked a lucrative long-term contract extension with Learfield Sports, which would enable Tiger Sports Properties to retain the multimedia rights for Memphis Athletics through 2017. In addition, the terms of the new agreement allow for options to continue through the 2021-22 academic year. The Tigers signed on with Learfield Sports in 2001, granting the partner radio and television rights, athletic venue signage, game day promotions and sponsorships, as well as the official athletic department website. Terms for the contract call for the Tigers to receive a financial guarantee each year of the agreement and to participate in annual revenue sharing.

A believer in academic excellence as well as athletic success and national prominence, Johnson leads a department that ranks in the top 30 percent according to the latest APR announced in May 2007. For the most recent academic year, which includes fall 2006 and spring 2007, 295 student-athletes earned at least a 3.0 grade point average and 28 students excelled with a 4.0 grade point average. Just this past spring, 10 teams logged a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher and the athletic department as a whole is represented by a 2.8 GPA. In May 2007, 39 athletes earned their degrees, marking the largest group for one ceremony since 2002 when the athletic academic services department began keeping record. And, under Johnson's guidance, Memphis boasts an 89 percent graduation rate of all student-athletes who complete their eligibility at the U of M.

Before taking over Tiger Athletics, Johnson was responsible for directing a Temple program with more than 500 student-athletes in 20 men's and women's intercollegiate sports, including nationally-visible programs in men's basketball and football. He was named Temple's director of athletics on May 9, 1994, after serving nearly six years as director of athletics at Miami (Ohio) University. He had also previously led the department at Eastern Illinois from 1980-88, and was the associate athletic director at Northern Iowa from 1974-80.

A former football coach himself, Johnson served as an assistant at Mankato State University from 1968-74. He coached at Youngstown State University during the 1967 and 1968 seasons after serving as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa (1965-67) and the University of Iowa (1963-65).

An Ottawa, Ill., native, Johnson holds his bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Iowa in 1965 and earned his master's degree in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1967. Johnson is a member of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics and serves on the NCAA Management Council. A veteran administrator in Conference USA, Johnson sits on both the C-USA Bowl Committee and the league's Finance Committee. His involvement in the Memphis community includes serving on the Memphis and Shelby County Sports Authority, and he most recently was invited to serve on the Mayor's Stadium Committee which is charged with evaluating the feasibility of a new football stadium. In addition, he is a member of the University of Memphis President's Council.

Johnson and his wife, Melba, have three children and five grandchildren.