Chris Johnson joined the Lynchburg staff in 2017 and quickly helped the Hornets' tennis program reach new heights.
Lynchburg's women's team reached the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's championship match for the first time in program history in 2018, just his second season, a year that also saw Christina Harris win the program's first-ever ODAC player of the year honor. Harris reached as high as a No. 32 national ranking and No. 11 regional ranking from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The Hornet women posted a program-best 18-3 record and saw four players named to the all-conference teams.
In Johnson's first season, the Lynchburg women tied the program record for wins in a season with a 13-7 record, and the team reached its first-ever Old Dominion Athletic Conference semifinal match.
The women got off to a 9-0 start in 2021-22, the best season-opening stretch in program history. He helped Christina Harris reach 100-career singles wins that season. He also coached his players to seven all-conference awards including Elizabeth Teefey's scholar-athlete of the year. Teefey went 18-0 in dual match play as well.Â
Johnson secured his 300th win as a college head coach across his career at Liberty and Lynchburg on April 12, 2023 as the men and women both defeated Guilford. The men also enjoyed one of their best seasons since at least the 2004-05 season. The Hornets won five matches in a row across a month-long span in February and March.Â
Lynchburg's men enjoyed a successful season in Johnson's first year, playing to a 9-10 record, their best since 2003, and placing a player, sophomore Juan Borga, on the VaSID College Division All-State team for the first time in program history.
Prior to joining Lynchburg's staff, Johnson served across town at Liberty University for the 11 years, heading the Flames' women's tennis program for six years and the men's program for his entire tenure. During his time as the women's tennis head coach, the team accumulated 64 wins and boasted two Big South Players of the Year (2006, 2007) and Rookies of the Year (2008, 2010).
In the past decade at the helm of the men's tennis program, Johnson led the Flames to 117 wins, including a Big South Player of the Year (2016), Rookie of the Year (2010), and multiple Big South Academic awards. He has mentored multiple ranked players, reaching as high as No. 93 in Singles and No. 19 in doubles.
In 2008, Johnson was named the Big South Women's Tennis Coach of the Year and was later named Big South Men's Tennis Coach of the Year in 2015. Johnson is one of only three coaches ever to have been named both Big South Men and Women's Tennis Coach of the Year.
Johnson, a native of Hickory, N.C., his wife Audrey and the couple's three children, Landon, Ashleigh and Alyssa, live in Forest
