Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at Colorado State Invite on September 12, 2025
Women's Tennis
at Colorado State Invite
Staff Directory
Johnson, JJ
JJ Johnson
- Title:
- Head Alpine Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- 435-901-0338
JJ Johnson, the 2022 USCSCA National Alpine Coach of the Year and five-time RMISA Alpine Coach of the Year, is entering his eighth season as Utah's head alpine coach in 2026. He arrived with the Utes after previously coaching with the U.S. Ski Team.
Johnson has helped the Utes to five NCAA team championships (2019, ’21, ’22, ’23, ‘25), including an unprecedented four straight from 2019-23. Utah’s national success in alpine has included Madison Hoffman’s sweep of the 2023 women’s alpine individual championships, as well as men’s giant slalom titles for Mikkel Solbakken (2024) and Johs Braathen Herland (2025).
His first RMISA Coach of the Year honors came back-to-back in 2019 and ’20, before winning the last three from 2023-25. Under Johnson’s watch the last seven seasons, Utah’s alpine skiers have etched 40 NCAA All-America awards. And, from 2021-23, Utah won every RMISA meet to include an alpine component.
The Utes brought home another NCAA Championship in 2025, plus the RMISA regular season and regional titles. His group tied for the most of any team with seven alpine All-American awards, highlighted by Herland’s individual title in men’s giant slalom. Utah also finished atop the team standings at NCAAs for men’s alpine in addition to both the men’s and women’s GS races.
As a whole for the season, Utah racked up 22 podium results in alpine competitions, the second-most in the RMISA. In addition to Utah winning the overall RMISA title, Johnson’s alpine team tallied 1,325.5 regular season points—leading all programs in the conference. Herland, the RMISA co-MVP in men’s giant slalom, had six podiums on the year. Herland was among 10 All-RMISA selections for Utah on the alpine side.
Internationally, Raphael Lessard made his first career World Cup start and freshmen Tatum Grosdidier and Harry Hoffman both earned spots at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships.
Although Utah was the 2024 NCAA runner-up in a heartbreaking finish, the Utes scored the most alpine points of any team during the meet. Led by Mikkel Solbakken, the National Men’s Alpine Skier of the Year, the Utes had the most regular season alpine points of any RMISA team (1190.5). All told, Utah had 10 individual alpine race wins throughout the campaign.
Seven Utah alpiners earned All-RMISA postseason honors, headlined by Kaja Norbye's nod as women's slalom MVP. Awarded to the skier with the most NCAA qualification points, Norbye had a remarkable season as she started all 14 races with 13 top-10 results, including six podiums and three wins.
Then at the NCAA Championships, six alpine All-America citations went to the Utes with Solbakken winning the men's giant slalom. It made Solbakken the first men's alpine individual champion from Utah (either in GS or slalom) since 2016.
Johnson also coached Madison Hoffman and Sindre Myklebust to First Team All-American honors. Madison Hoffman wrapped up a stellar Utah career with a pair of second-place results at NCAAs, while Myklebust turned in a runner-up GS performance in his nationals debut as a freshman. Norbye also reeled in All-American honors, placing sixth in GS.
In 2023 Johnson claimed Coach of the Year after his squad again topped the regular season alpine standings. It included a league-best 737 points for men's alpine and 610 for the women, the latter of which ranked second in the RMISA. Madison Hoffman’s dominance at NCAAs solidified one of the greatest comeback stories in collegiate skiing, standing atop the national women’s slalom and GS podiums after missing much of 2022 due to injury. She was the first Utah skier since 1990 to win both women's alpine championships, while Wilhelm Normannseth was the NCAA men's runner-up in slalom as well.
Five All-America awards, 13 individual victories and 27 podiums were recorded by the Utes alpine squad throughout the entirety of the 2023 collegiate racing season. Normannseth was named RMISA men’s slalom MVP and Gustav Vøllo took home the same honor in men’s GS.
Johnson coached seven Utes that qualified for the 2022 Winter Olympics—part of a program-record 12 total Olympic athletes plus a coach that year with a connection to the Utah Ski Team.
At NCAAs in 2022, seven alpine All-America accolades went to the Utes—the top scoring team in men’s giant slalom and overall alpine competition. Individual honors included First Team All-America awards for Vøllo, the NCAA runner-up in both men's giant slalom and slalom, plus a First Team nod for Katie Parker in women's giant slalom. Joachim Lien earned two Second Team honors, and Norbye wrapped up a remarkable freshman season taking home both a First Team (GS) and Second Team (SL) All-America award. Normannseth was named RMISA Most Valuable Skier in men's slalom.
The 2021 championship campaign was highlighted by six Alpine All-Americans and an RMISA Championship. First Team All-American honors went to Lien in both the men’s slalom and GS, Katie Vesterstein in the women’s slalom and Vøllo in the men’s GS.
Despite a championship run cut short in 2020 due to the pandemic, it was nevertheless a year of accolades for the Utes. Lien was named Men’s Alpine Skier of the Year by the U.S. Collegiate Ski Coaches Association, and Lien along with fellow Ute Guro Jordheim (women’s Nordic) were tabbed RMISA Athletes of the Year. It also marked Johnson’s second straight year taking home RMISA Alpine Coach of the Year.
Johnson earned his first RMISA Alpine Coach of the Year in 2019, his first season with the Utes, after helping lead the team to the NCAA Championship. He coached three skiers to All-America honors that year, led by Roni Remme, who finished second at NCAAs in both the women's giant slalom and slalom, in addition to Eirin Engeset (women's GS) and Mark Engel (men's slalom).
Utah was the top scoring team in the women's giant slalom at NCAAs in 2019, as well as at both the RMISA Championship and UAA Invite. The men's alpine scores led the discipline at the RMISA Championships, UAA Invite and Colorado Invite.
Prior to the Utes, Johnson coached with the U.S. Ski Team from 2014-19, beginning as an assistant coach with the men’s development team (2014-16) before spending two years as head development coach (2016-18). He helped six athletes finish on the podium at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships with Sam Morse (2017) and Erick Arvidsson (2016) both winning world downhill titles. His athletes have been successful advancing within the U.S. Ski Team and joining NCAA ski programs. Johnson was promoted to the Europa Cup team shortly before joining the Utes. He first joined the U.S. Ski Team in 2013 as the Western Region Youth Coordinator.
Johnson began his coaching career with the Park City Ski Team as an assistant coach from 2010-12, coaching with its FIS and U14 skiers. He did private coaching from 2012-13.
Johnson was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1997-99 and 2004-07. He spent three seasons competing on the World Cup circuit (2004-07) with his best finish 24th in the downhill at Val Gardena/Groeden in 2004. Johnson was a member of the 2005 World Championship team, finishing 21st in the downhill. He regularly finished in the top 10 at the National Championships, including a third-place finish in the downhill in 2006. Johnson was the 1996 Ski Racing U.S. Junior Alpine Skier of the Year. He competed in ski cross from 2008-10.
Johnson, who is originally from Park City, Utah, lives in Wanship with his wife, Jana. The couple welcomed their first child, Emersyn, in Fall 2021.
Johnson has helped the Utes to five NCAA team championships (2019, ’21, ’22, ’23, ‘25), including an unprecedented four straight from 2019-23. Utah’s national success in alpine has included Madison Hoffman’s sweep of the 2023 women’s alpine individual championships, as well as men’s giant slalom titles for Mikkel Solbakken (2024) and Johs Braathen Herland (2025).
His first RMISA Coach of the Year honors came back-to-back in 2019 and ’20, before winning the last three from 2023-25. Under Johnson’s watch the last seven seasons, Utah’s alpine skiers have etched 40 NCAA All-America awards. And, from 2021-23, Utah won every RMISA meet to include an alpine component.
The Utes brought home another NCAA Championship in 2025, plus the RMISA regular season and regional titles. His group tied for the most of any team with seven alpine All-American awards, highlighted by Herland’s individual title in men’s giant slalom. Utah also finished atop the team standings at NCAAs for men’s alpine in addition to both the men’s and women’s GS races.
As a whole for the season, Utah racked up 22 podium results in alpine competitions, the second-most in the RMISA. In addition to Utah winning the overall RMISA title, Johnson’s alpine team tallied 1,325.5 regular season points—leading all programs in the conference. Herland, the RMISA co-MVP in men’s giant slalom, had six podiums on the year. Herland was among 10 All-RMISA selections for Utah on the alpine side.
Internationally, Raphael Lessard made his first career World Cup start and freshmen Tatum Grosdidier and Harry Hoffman both earned spots at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships.
Although Utah was the 2024 NCAA runner-up in a heartbreaking finish, the Utes scored the most alpine points of any team during the meet. Led by Mikkel Solbakken, the National Men’s Alpine Skier of the Year, the Utes had the most regular season alpine points of any RMISA team (1190.5). All told, Utah had 10 individual alpine race wins throughout the campaign.
Seven Utah alpiners earned All-RMISA postseason honors, headlined by Kaja Norbye's nod as women's slalom MVP. Awarded to the skier with the most NCAA qualification points, Norbye had a remarkable season as she started all 14 races with 13 top-10 results, including six podiums and three wins.
Then at the NCAA Championships, six alpine All-America citations went to the Utes with Solbakken winning the men's giant slalom. It made Solbakken the first men's alpine individual champion from Utah (either in GS or slalom) since 2016.
Johnson also coached Madison Hoffman and Sindre Myklebust to First Team All-American honors. Madison Hoffman wrapped up a stellar Utah career with a pair of second-place results at NCAAs, while Myklebust turned in a runner-up GS performance in his nationals debut as a freshman. Norbye also reeled in All-American honors, placing sixth in GS.
In 2023 Johnson claimed Coach of the Year after his squad again topped the regular season alpine standings. It included a league-best 737 points for men's alpine and 610 for the women, the latter of which ranked second in the RMISA. Madison Hoffman’s dominance at NCAAs solidified one of the greatest comeback stories in collegiate skiing, standing atop the national women’s slalom and GS podiums after missing much of 2022 due to injury. She was the first Utah skier since 1990 to win both women's alpine championships, while Wilhelm Normannseth was the NCAA men's runner-up in slalom as well.
Five All-America awards, 13 individual victories and 27 podiums were recorded by the Utes alpine squad throughout the entirety of the 2023 collegiate racing season. Normannseth was named RMISA men’s slalom MVP and Gustav Vøllo took home the same honor in men’s GS.
Johnson coached seven Utes that qualified for the 2022 Winter Olympics—part of a program-record 12 total Olympic athletes plus a coach that year with a connection to the Utah Ski Team.
At NCAAs in 2022, seven alpine All-America accolades went to the Utes—the top scoring team in men’s giant slalom and overall alpine competition. Individual honors included First Team All-America awards for Vøllo, the NCAA runner-up in both men's giant slalom and slalom, plus a First Team nod for Katie Parker in women's giant slalom. Joachim Lien earned two Second Team honors, and Norbye wrapped up a remarkable freshman season taking home both a First Team (GS) and Second Team (SL) All-America award. Normannseth was named RMISA Most Valuable Skier in men's slalom.
The 2021 championship campaign was highlighted by six Alpine All-Americans and an RMISA Championship. First Team All-American honors went to Lien in both the men’s slalom and GS, Katie Vesterstein in the women’s slalom and Vøllo in the men’s GS.
Despite a championship run cut short in 2020 due to the pandemic, it was nevertheless a year of accolades for the Utes. Lien was named Men’s Alpine Skier of the Year by the U.S. Collegiate Ski Coaches Association, and Lien along with fellow Ute Guro Jordheim (women’s Nordic) were tabbed RMISA Athletes of the Year. It also marked Johnson’s second straight year taking home RMISA Alpine Coach of the Year.
Johnson earned his first RMISA Alpine Coach of the Year in 2019, his first season with the Utes, after helping lead the team to the NCAA Championship. He coached three skiers to All-America honors that year, led by Roni Remme, who finished second at NCAAs in both the women's giant slalom and slalom, in addition to Eirin Engeset (women's GS) and Mark Engel (men's slalom).
Utah was the top scoring team in the women's giant slalom at NCAAs in 2019, as well as at both the RMISA Championship and UAA Invite. The men's alpine scores led the discipline at the RMISA Championships, UAA Invite and Colorado Invite.
Prior to the Utes, Johnson coached with the U.S. Ski Team from 2014-19, beginning as an assistant coach with the men’s development team (2014-16) before spending two years as head development coach (2016-18). He helped six athletes finish on the podium at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships with Sam Morse (2017) and Erick Arvidsson (2016) both winning world downhill titles. His athletes have been successful advancing within the U.S. Ski Team and joining NCAA ski programs. Johnson was promoted to the Europa Cup team shortly before joining the Utes. He first joined the U.S. Ski Team in 2013 as the Western Region Youth Coordinator.
Johnson began his coaching career with the Park City Ski Team as an assistant coach from 2010-12, coaching with its FIS and U14 skiers. He did private coaching from 2012-13.
Johnson was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1997-99 and 2004-07. He spent three seasons competing on the World Cup circuit (2004-07) with his best finish 24th in the downhill at Val Gardena/Groeden in 2004. Johnson was a member of the 2005 World Championship team, finishing 21st in the downhill. He regularly finished in the top 10 at the National Championships, including a third-place finish in the downhill in 2006. Johnson was the 1996 Ski Racing U.S. Junior Alpine Skier of the Year. He competed in ski cross from 2008-10.
Johnson, who is originally from Park City, Utah, lives in Wanship with his wife, Jana. The couple welcomed their first child, Emersyn, in Fall 2021.
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