COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Former men's hockey student-athlete and head coach Joel Johnson was named the head coach of the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team, who are set to compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter games in Beijing, China Feb. 4-20.
Johnson has been serving as the Interim Head coach of the USA Hockey's Women's National Team. He has been a part of USA Hockey dating back to working summer camps in 2000 before working closely with the US WNT since 2015. Since that time, he led the U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team to four straight gold medals in the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship. Prior to his elevation he was an assistant coach in 2018-10 for the WNT.
"It is an incredible honor to be given this opportunity as it simply doesn't get any more special as an athlete or a coach than to represent your country at the highest level," Johnson said. "I'm very humbled and consider it a privilege to work with what I know will be a tremendous group of athletes and staff as we prepare for Beijing 2022."
A1996 graduate of Bethel, spent three seasons at the helm of the men's program (2007-10) after spending time as an assistant beginning in 2004. He led BU to some of the program's best seasons including the team's only MIAC Championship and lone NCAA playoff appearance in 2007. In addition to hockey, Johnson spent time as head coach of the men's and women's soccer program (2004-06) and men's and women's golf teams (2007-10).
During his Royals playing career, he was a three-sport athlete in soccer, hockey and baseball where he was team captain, All-MIAC honoree, winner of multi-All-Region awardee; along with team MVP and Most Inspirational.
As a soccer player he is second in career assists (21) and 14
th in career points (43). On the diamond, Johnson boasted a .350 career batting average and a .431 on-base percentage. Johnson scored 40 points on the ice in two seasons before a back injury cut his collegiate playing career short.
Spending the last 11 seasons at the University of Minnesota as Associate Head Coach for the women's program, he's helped the Gophers to six national titles and 11 Frozen Fours. Most recently he was named head women's hockey coach at the University of St. Thomas who will compete in its first season at the Division I level.
The journey begins for Johnson and the U.S. National Team in Calgary, Alberta from August 20-31 as it competes in the IIHF women's world championships.
