Matt Johnson was named the second head coach in the Lourdes University men's soccer program's history in February of 2019.
Johnson enters 2023, his fifth season at the helm of the Gray Wolves, with a 30-37-6 record at Lourdes. He is 105-121-14 overall entering his 14th season as a collegiate head coach.
In 2020, Johnson led Lourdes to a fourth place finish in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, the highest in program history. The Gray Wolves also hosted a WHAC tournament match for the first time. Lourdes won nine matches that season, setting a new school record, a mark that was then equaled in 2021.
Over his first four seasons at Lourdes, Johnson produced the first First Team All-WHAC selection in program history. In addition, he has guided two Second Team All-WHAC honorees as well as three WHAC All-Newcomer Team selections. He has had 10 players earn WHAC Player of the Week honors during his time on the bench as well.
In the classroom, 20 Lourdes players have been named to the WHAC All-Academic Team while 19 players also garnered NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades under his watch. Three times his program has been named a NAIA Scholar Team.
No stranger to the WHAC, Johnson spent nine seasons at Marygrove College prior to his arrival at Lourdes.
In Marygrove’s six seasons in the WHAC during his tenure, his teams included six players that were named First Team All-WHAC, two Second Team All-WHAC selections, and four Honorable Mention All-WHAC honorees. In addition, Johnson had produced the WHAC Newcomer of the Year in 2012. He also had eight different athletes earn WHAC Player of the Week accolades.
Johnson’s teams had success in the classroom as well, as 13 players were named to the WHAC All-Academic Team during the six seasons in the conference.
Johnson has also spent time as a youth coach with the Michigan Wolves-Hawks Soccer Club, including the US Development Academy teams at the U12, U17, and U19 age levels.
A standout player in his own right, Johnson played with the Detroit Ignition, a professional team in the Major Indoor Soccer League and Xtreme Soccer League. He was an assistant coach and player from 2006-2008 before becoming the head coach in 2008-2009. He also played professionally for the San Diego Sockers, Cleveland Force, Utah Freezz, and Chicago Storm.
Johnson is a 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, with a B.A. degree in political science.
