University of Illinois Springfield Athletics

A veteran strength and conditioning coach with more than 20 years of experience, Ryan Johnson enters is fifth year on the Prairie Star staff in 2024-25. He brings experience from serving as a director of two NCAA Division I programs for a combined 12 seasons plus has worked with two Power Five programs, Missouri and Iowa. 

Johnson customizes programs for each of the UIS student-athletes and works with a staff of an assistant coach and several interns to develop each student-athlete. 

Prior to UIS, Johnson worked for three seasons (2018-20) as an Assistant Director for Athletic Performance for the Olympic Sports at Missouri, working primarily with the baseball program. He also assisted with cross country, track and field and swimming student-athletes. 

Johnson came to UIS from the University of Missouri, where he was the Assistant Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports since 2018. Johnson was responsible for the athletic performance program for the Missouri baseball team, and assisted with the cross country, track and field, and swimming programs. He also assisted in the development and implementation of the internship program.
 
Johnson was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Southeast Missouri State University from 2011-2018. At Southeast Missouri, he supervised, educated, and managed all strength and conditioning staff personnel. From 2015-18, he was responsible for the sports performance program for the men’s and women’s basketball programs. During Johnson’s time there, he also worked with the volleyball, softball, baseball, women’s soccer, track sprinters, women’s gymnastics, and football programs.
 
Among his accomplishments at Southeast Missouri include developing a nutrition center next to the weight room for student-athletes, and designing a complete renovation of the strength and conditioning facility.
 
From 2006-2011, Johnson worked in the Strength and Conditioning Office at Delaware State University, including serving as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for two years. At Delaware State, he designed and implemented comprehensive strength and conditioning programs for all of their sports.
 
Johnson worked as a Strength and Conditioning Intern for the University of Iowa football team in 2006, was a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Nebraska at Omaha from 2004-06, and a Strength and Conditioning Intern at Central College in 2004.
 
Johnson is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC), and Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC). Other certifications include Level 1 Precision Nutrition, Level 1 and 2 Functional Movement Screen, FRCms and FRA Functional Anatomy, and First Aid/CPR/AED.
 
Johnson was a three-year letterwinner from 2001-03 for the Central College football team. He was a team captain, an academic all-conference selection, and the winner of the 2003 Mentink Award, given for sportsmanship and leadership on and off the field. He participated in rugby for a variety of teams from 2004-2010, including making four MARFU Sevens All-Star teams while playing for the Wilmington Rugby Football Club.
 
Johnson graduated from Central College in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science. He earned his Masters of Arts degree in Exercise Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2006.