Elliot Johnson

Inducted in 2009
In the Category of Coach
Baseball - Head Coach
As a Trojan
Elliott Johnson was Trevecca's second baseball coach. He led the program for 11 seasons (1980-90) with a 330-152-7 overall record-winning 68% of his games. He was named the coach of the year four times during his tenure.

In conference play his teams had a 71% winning percentage (140-57-1) while winning or sharing the conference title in five of his 11 seasons. All but one of his 11 teams posted at least 20 wins; every season was a winning season.

He had ten 20-win teams, six 30-win teams, and the school's first 40-win team. Eight of his teams reached the NAIA District-24 Tournament. The 1982 and 1989 teams won the tournament and advanced to the NAIA Area-5 Tournament.

The 40-win team was in 1989 when his Trojans posted a 40-17 record while winning the NAIA District-24 championship and finished ranked No. 8 in the NAIA. His Trevecca teams gave him the 15th best NAIA winning percentage during the 1980s

In his first season his Trojans produced a 25-8 record and were the Volunteer State Athletic Conference Western Division and overall VSAC Champions. Each of his final five seasons produced at least 31 wins.

Seven of his players were NAIA All-Americans, and four were first team selections. He had two NAIA Scholar-Athletes, a District-24 Player of the Year, and a NAIA Area-5 Player of the Year. He had 14 players make the NAIA District-24 team with four of those named to the NAIA Area-5 team. In his time at Trevecca, 22 Trojans named All-Conference (VSAC or TCAC), and six of his former players are already in the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame.

After leaving Trevecca, Coach Johnson coached at LeTourneau and Olivet Nazarene University, and he now serves as head coach at Southern Nazarene University. He coached for one season at Taylor University prior to succeeding Bill Green at Trevecca in 1980.

Johnson will begin his 29th season as a collegiate coach next season. He has a overall record of 873-454 and has coached 1340 games.

In 2008 the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) awarded Johnson the Jerry Kindall Character in Coach Award.

His teams have appeared in 18 NAIA District or Regional Tournaments, winning eleven conference, district, or national titles. He has been named coach of the year six times

He assisted at Middle Tennessee State University where he earned a doctorate in physical education. The MTSU team won the Ohio Valley Conference Championship.

At Olivet, his Tigers won one NCCAA National Championship (2000) and four regular season Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004), and had two NAIA World Series appearances (2002, 2003). Current Tampa Bay Ray All-Star Ben Zobrist played for Johnson three years at Olivet.

He has had two successful seasons at Southern Nazarene University, finishing 37-15 last year.

Johnson was an all-conference pitcher and shortstop as a collegian. He attended Trinity College and earned a B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado and an M.A. from Chadron State College (Neb.).

Dr. Johnson is especially interested in youth baseball; his master's thesis included research on the motivation of boys at three age levels, and his doctoral dissertation researched the philosophy of a sound youth baseball program. His video "The Building of a Baseball Player" is required viewing by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association and by Kids Sports Network for certification of youth baseball coaches. He has produced a total of six videos on coaching techniques and player development.

Coach Johnson has worked for the Doyle Brothers Baseball Camp in Florida and has instructed hundreds of kids at his own camps and clinics. He is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), AIA, and other sports ministries. He also has written 25 inspirational books and numerous baseball articles and is a frequent speaker for a variety of groups. Coach Johnson's Stride Guide is a top seller as a baseball training aid for hitters. It has been marketed by the Schutt Company for a number of years.

Johnson has been married for 39 years to Judy Johnson, who teaches kindergarten. Sons Todd and Ben played for their father at LeTourneau University. Like father, like son: After many years coaching for Athletes in Action and on the college level, Todd directs FCA at the University of Mississippi. Ben is area director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Waco, Texas.
After Graduation

 
 

Trojan Hall of Fame

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Trevecca Nazarene University is pleased to announce its 2010 Athletic Hall of Fame Class. Will Partin, Jennifer Wilson, and Frank Wilson will be induction during Trevecca's annual Homecoming weekend on Saturday, November 6.

This year's class has a basketball flavor with a family tie. Frank Wilson was the head men's basketball coach (1979-93) and was also athletic director (1979-90). During halftime at games during those years, fans often saw performances by his daughter, Jennifer, whose shooting amazed them. When Trevecca restarted women's basketball a few years later, Jennifer found her way onto the team (1999-2003) and forever in the record books as a four-time All-American.

The third inductee is also a former basketball player. Will Partin transferred to Trevecca from the University of Missouri-Rolla and was a fan favorite during his three years in a Trojan uniform. At Trevecca he met his wife Audrey (Leatherman), a record-setting TNU basketball star in her own right, and the two now share a ministry in the Dominican Republic.

With these inductions, 47 individuals are now members of the Trevecca Athletic Hall of Fame. Begun in 1993, the Athletic Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions within the Trevecca intercollegiate athletic program, which started in 1969.

The Wilsons will be on hand for induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 6, 2010. The official presentation and induction will take place during halftime of the women's Homecoming basketball game in Moore Gym. Will Partin will be honored on November 13, 2010, when Trevecca will host the University of the Cumberlands in the Robert Garrett Classic hosted by TNU.

Both Trojan basketball teams will open regular season play at Homecoming. The women's team will host Mount Vernon Nazarene at 3:00, and the men will host Michigan-Dearborn at 5:00 p.m. The Hall of Fame Induction will occur Saturday shortly after the first half of the women's basketball game.

YearInducteeSport(s)Category InductedGrad Date
1993Mary Lee FielderMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1948
1993Dick JohanssonTennisStudent Athlete1985
1993Alan SmithTennisCoach
1993Melvin TaylorMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1983
1994Ulf DahlstromMen's TennisStudent Athlete
1994Avery PattonMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1987
1994Arthur WilliamsMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service
1995Tim BellBaseball/Men's BasketballStudent Athlete1987
1995Deborah Ann Lore CoachMeritorious Service / Coach
1996Allison Hendershot-StarkVolleyballStudent Athlete
1997Mac HeaberlinMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1988
1997J. Dwight RagsdaleMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1967
1997Carol SchneidmillerBasketball, Volleyball, TennisStudent Athlete1979
1997David SuddethMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1992
1997Todd WelchMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service
1999Roger CostaMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service
1999Brenda (Steen) GrayVolleyballStudent Athlete
2002Fred HarrisBasketballMeritorious Service / Coach / Student Athlete
2002Blanchard HowardMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1978
2002Ken StegallMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1983
2002Brad StuartBaseball1990
2002Charles TorainMen's Basketball, BaseballStudent Athlete1973
2003Magnus BerglundMen's TennisStudent Athlete1990
2003Roger BrownBaseballStudent Athlete1995
2003Randy BurgettBaseballStudent Athlete1980
2003Charles ThompsonBaseballStudent Athlete1988
2004David BlanfordMen's BasketballStudent Athlete2001
2004Troy HaydelBaseballStudent Athlete1985
2004Calvin HolmesMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1982
2004Sandy McClainMen's BasketballStudent Athlete1988
2005Clay BooneBaseballStudent Athlete1990
2005Brandy (Barnett BrownSoftballStudent Athlete1997
2005Juan GaratMen's TennisStudent Athlete1992
2005Jeremy ToddBaseballStudent Athlete2001
2007Michael BlivensBasketballStudent Athlete
2007Bill GreenBaseballCoach
2007Kenny ThomasBaseballStudent Athlete1978
2008Jim HendershotMeritorious ServiceMeritorious Service1967
2008Scott JonesVolleyballCoach
2009Wendy AllenSoftballStudent Athlete2003
2009Kevin BrownBaseballStudent Athlete1995
2009Hilary Howard MontgomeryWomen's BasketballStudent Athlete2003
2009Elliot JohnsonBaseballCoach
2009Molly Schoenberg HarnedWomen's BasketballStudent Athlete2002
2010Will PartinMen's BasketballStudent Athlete2003
2010Jennifer WilsonWomen's BasketballStudent Athlete2003
2010Frank WilsonMen's BasketballCoach