MIDDLEBURY — Former Middlebury College skier and two-time U.S. Olympian Andrew Johnson has been named the new head coach of the Nordic ski program at Middlebury College. Johnson comes to Middlebury from the University of Vermont, where he served as an assistant coach for the past three years and helped the Catamounts win the 2012 NCAA title.
Johnson said he welcomes the move back to Middlebury.
“I couldn’t be happier to be joining the Middlebury athletic department and ski team,” said Johnson. “The strong culture and history of skiing at Middlebury make it a unique place to be, both for students and as a coach.”
Middlebury Director of Athletics Erin Quinn said Johnson was the right choice.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew Johnson back to Middlebury to take over as the head coach of the Nordic skiing program,” said Quinn. “Andrew brings a wealth of skiing experience at the highest levels of the sport, as well as excellent coaching experience. Most importantly, he is an outstanding teacher and his philosophies of coaching and building teams will be an excellent fit with Middlebury College.”
A native of Greensboro, Vt., Johnson was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1999 to 2007. He competed in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City as well as the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. He also competed in the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Johnson was the U.S. cross-country skiing champion in 2005 and 2006 and the U.S. junior national champion in 1996.
Before joining the Catamount program, Johnson was an assistant Nordic coach at the University of Utah during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. While at Utah, he earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies.
Johnson returns to the school where he was an NCAA All-American in 1997, 1998 and 1999 under head coach Terry Aldrich.
“Middlebury’s demonstrated commitment to skiing coupled with its outstanding campus facilities and impressive upgrades at Rikert Nordic Center make it an ideal place to be,” said Johnson. “Having attended Middlebury College and skied for the program, it’s a bit of a dream come true to be able to return and help lead the ski team into its next chapter.”