University of Arizona Athletics

Jay Johnson was hired as the University of Arizona's 16th head baseball coach in program history on June 8, 2015. The 2021 season will be Johnson's sixth leading the Wildcats.

In five seasons as the Wildcats' head coach, Johnson has amassed a 163-96 record, and is the first coach in school history to have led his team to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons as head coach. He has led his Wildcat teams to at least 30 wins in all four full seasons with Arizona and in all six of his full seasons as a Division I head coach. Since Johnson was hired by Arizona in 2016, only two other Pac-12 programs have logged 30+ wins every full season: Oregon State and Stanford. He is the only active Pac-12 head coach to have logged 30+ wins in each of his first six full seasons as a DI head coach. The program's 163 wins are the third-most in the Pac-12 since 2016.

Since Johnson’s arrival, Arizona has produced 15 All-Pac-12 first-team selections and 28 Major League Baseball draft picks. Arizona had a program-record six players drafted in the first 10 rounds of the 2018 MLB Draft and has produced 14 top-10 round picks during his time in Tucson.

2020 Season

Johnson and the Wildcats produced a 10-5 record during the 2020 season before the campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic that halted all collegiate athletic events. The college baseball season was canceled before Arizona reached conference play.

In their shortened season, Arizona again showed signs of offensive dominance: The Wildcats scored 10+ runs on six occasions and  ranked among the top three teams in the Pac-12 Conference in on-base percentage (1st, .417), doubles (T-1st, 30), walks (T-1st, 97), batting average (2nd, .288), slugging percentage (2nd, .437), runs scored (2nd, 113), RBI (2nd, 106), home runs (2nd, 12), total bases (2nd, 217), hits (T-3rd, 143), and triples (T-3rd, 4).

2019 Season

Johnson's fourth season in 2019 produced one of the highest-scoring offenses in the nation, a fourth-straight winning season, and a winning conference record. Arizona ended the 2019 campaign with a 32-24 record and a 15-14 mark in Pac-12 play. The club finished the year on a 10-game win streak and came away victorious in 13 of their last 14 games. 

The Wildcats offense averaged 9.8 runs per game, the second-best mark in the nation and the best mark posted by an Arizona team since the 1975 team averaged 10.07. Arizona finished the year ranked second in the nation in slugging percentage and on-base percentage and third in batting average.

Infielders Nick Quintana and Cameron Cannon were both selected to the Pac-12 All-Conference team and earned All-American nods, while catcher Austin Wells earned the first Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award in program history. Wells and infielder Dayton Dooney were both honored with Freshmen All-American recognition, marking the first time the Wildcats had two Freshmen All-Americans since 2009. 

The year wrapped up with six players hearing their named called in the 2019 MLB Draft. Quintana and Cannon were both taken within the first 50 picks, while outfielder Matt Fraizer and left-handed pitcher Avery Weems joined them in being taken in the first 10 rounds. Left-handers Andrew Nardi and Randy Labaut were both taken on day three, giving Johnson 26 draft picks in just four seasons in Tucson.

2018 Season

In Johnson’s third season, Arizona went 34-22 and 23-6 at Hi Corbett Field. Under Johnson’s leadership, Arizona has gone 70-20 at home in three seasons, never losing more than seven games in a season.

Arizona had six players – Alfonso Rivas, Cody Deason, Michael Flynn, Cesar Salazar, Tylor Megill and Cal Stevenson – drafted in the top 10 rounds of June’s Major League Baseball Draft. Two more players, Travis Moniot and Ryan Haug, were drafted the following days to give Arizona eight players drafted, which is the most for a Johnson-led team at Arizona.
Rivas, Salazar and sophomore third baseman Nick Quintana earned All-Pac-12 first-team honors. It marked the second selection to the All-Pac-12 team for Rivas and Salazar.

2017 Season

In his second season, Johnson experienced more success and continued fan support from Wildcat fans. For the second straight year, Arizona led all Pac-12 and West Coast schools in attendance, averaging 3,351 fans per game. Arizona ranked 16th nationally in attendance. 

The 2017 squad went 38-21 and advanced to the Lubbock Regional, hosted by Texas Tech. The Wildcats were ranked in the Top 25 all season long, and were one of the top offensive teams in the country. Arizona led the Pac-12 in batting average (.308), doubles (133), hits (633), on base percentage (.403), runs (453), scoring (7.7 runs per game) and slugging percentage (.442).

Junior JJ Matijevic won the Pac-12 batting title and was named to five different All-American teams. Matijevic also tied the school record with 30 doubles in a season. Matijevic teamed with Jared Oliva to combine for the most doubles ever in a single season by a pair of Arizona teammates (55). Matijevic was one of five All-Pac-12 selections in Johnson's second year, joining Oliva, Cloney, Alfonso Rivas and Cesar Salazar. Oliva and Rivas also earned All-American honors. 

Matijevic became Johnson's highest draft pick at Arizona, when he was selected by the Houston Astros with the 75th pick in the Major League Baseball Draft.

2016 Season

When he arrived in 2016, Johnson wasted no time building on to the tradition of Arizona baseball. In his first season at the helm of the Wildcats, Johnson led the team to a 49-24 record and an appearance in the College World Series Finals.

The 49 wins for the Wildcats were the second-most in school history. In that 2016 season, the Wildcats were Lafayette Regional Champions as well as Starkville Super Regional Champions. Arizona then advanced to the finals of the College World Series, staving off elimination three separate times in Omaha. The appearance in Omaha marked Arizona's 17th appearance in the College World Series.

Arizona finished the season ranked No. 2 in all five major Top 25 polls after being picked to finish 9^th in the Pac-12 preseason coaches poll. For his efforts, Johnson was named the ABCA West Region Coach of the Year at the completion of the season.

In 2016, the Wildcats had five first-team All-Pac-12 selections in Ryan Aguilar, Nathan Bannister, Bobby Dalbec, Zach Gibbons and Cody Ramer. Starting pitcher JC Cloney was selected as an honorable mention pick. Bannister, Gibbons and Ramer all received All-American honors as well, both from the ABCA and Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger. Perfect Game named Dalbec an honorable mention All-American as a relief pitcher.

Johnson’s philosophy of putting pressure on the opposition’s defense translated beautifully to the Pac-12. The Wildcats had 81 sacrifice hits, establishing a new program record. Additionally, Gibbons, Ramer and Aguilar all hit over .300 with Gibbons leading the way at a robust .385. Gibbons flourished under the director of Johnson. With 107 hits as a senior, Gibbons finished with 291 for his career and now sits in fourth-place all-time at Arizona. His 107 hits last season were the second-most in a single-season by a Wildcat.

Ramer was close behind, finishing with 105 hits and is tied with Terry Francona for the fourth-most hits in a single season. The two became just the second set of Arizona teammates to each record more than 100 hits in a season, joining Clark Crist and Francona, who each went over the century mark in 1979.

On the mound, Arizona had one of its finest seasons ever. The Wildcats established a new single-season record for saves with 18, topping the previous high of 16, set four times prior. The Cats also had 508 strikeouts as a staff, which is the sixth-most in program history for a single season. Arizona posted a team ERA of 3.18, the lowest by an Arizona team since 1974.

The Tucson faithful responded to Johnson and the team’s success the Wildcats experienced during the season. The Wildcats drew an average of 3,043 fans to games in 2016, leading both the Pac-12 and all West Coast Schools. Nationally, the Wildcats ranked 19^th.

Before Arizona

In two seasons at Nevada, Johnson guided the Wolf Pack to a 72-42 record. In 2015, Nevada posted a 41-15 record and captured the school’s first-ever Mountain West title with a 22-6 mark in league play. The Wolf Pack was ranked in the top 25 for much of the season and totaled a 13-1 record in series of at least three games. The 41 overall wins ranked second in program history.

The breakthrough campaign in 2015 garnered numerous postseason honors for Johnson and his players. Johnson was named Mountain West Coach of the Year, Trenton Brooks was named MWC Tony Gwynn Player of the Year, Christian Stolo was named MW Pitcher of the Year, Cal Stevenson was named MWC Co-Freshman of the Year and six other student-athletes were named to the 2015 All-Mountain West team. Additionally, Louisville Slugger named Austin Byler and junior Ryan Howell third-team All-Americans, while Stevenson was named to the freshman All-America team.

Under Johnson’s exciting and competitive brand of baseball, fan support quickly grew for the Wolf Pack program, including the first sell out in program history on April 26. The 2015 club averaged 8.0 runs per game and batted .317 – both figures that ranked in the top five nationally. The pitching staff ranked second in the Mountain West in earned run average.

Before his stint at Nevada, Johnson was the associate head coach at the University of San Diego from 2006-13. Previously, he coached at Point Loma Nazarene, serving as an assistant from 2002-04. He then took over the program as the head coach in 2005 and led the Sea Lions to a 37-16 record.

While at San Diego, Johnson helped the Toreros make six trips to NCAA postseason (2006-08, ‘10, 2012-13) and capture four West Coast Conference titles in 2007, ‘08, ‘10 and ‘13. He coached the 2013 Dick Howser Award winner, which honors the college baseball player of the year, in third baseman Kris Bryant. Bryant, a native of Las Vegas, was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2013 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. 

Johnson served as USD's hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped recruit USD's 2008 class, which was ranked number one in the nation by Baseball America. The Toreros 2010 recruiting class was ranked second in the nation. In six of eight seasons, the Toreros ranked first in the WCC in overall team hitting.

In 2007 and ‘08, the Toreros posted back-to-back 40-win seasons including a school record 44 in 2008. The 2012 squad recorded the third 40-win season in school history.

In his time at Point Loma Nazarene, Johnson led the Sea Lions to a No. 6 NAIA ranking and a 37-16 record in 2005. While an assistant in 2004, the team won a school-record 47 games and finished third at the NAIA World Series.

Johnson earned a degree in physical education at Point Loma Nazarene in 2001 and later acquired a master's degree in physical education at Azusa Pacific University.

Jay Johnson Coaching History

• Arizona Head Coach (2015-2021); 208-114record
• Nevada Head Coach (2014-15); 72-42 record
• San Diego Associate Head Coach (2006-13)
• Point Loma Nazarene Head Coach (2005); 37-14 record
• Point Loma Nazarene Assistant Coach (2002-04)
 

Jay Johnson Year-by-Year Head Coaching Record

*2020 season cut short due to COVID-19 pandemic
 

Coaching Highlights

• Directed Arizona to a 49-24 record in his first season at the school and an appearance in the College World Series Finals
• First coach in Arizona history to lead team to NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons
• Became the 5^th coach ever and first since 1994 to lead a team to the College World Series Finals in his first year at that school
• Two-time ABCA West Region Coach of the Year (2016, 2021)
• Coached 28 Arizona players selected in the 2016–2020 Major League Baseball Drafts
• Led Arizona to 49 wins in his first season, the second-most in program history
• Eight players – Cody Ramer, Nathan Bannister, Zach Gibbons, JJ Matijevic, Alfonso Rivas, Jared Oliva, Nick Quintana, and Cameron Cannon – earned All-America honors under Johnson in his four seasons at Arizona
• Led Nevada to 72-42 record in two seasons
• 2015 Mountain West Coach of the Year
• Led Nevada to 41 wins in 2015 (second-most in program history).
• Won school’s first-ever Mountain West Conference championship in 2015.
• Wolf Pack players won the league’s Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year & Freshman of Year accolades in 2015.
• Two players garnered All-America honors and a third was named a freshman All-American in 2015.
• Nevada finished 2015 top-five nationally in batting and scoring.
• Wolf Pack drew first-ever home sellout in 2015.
• Helped USD make six postseason trips from 2006-13.
• Coached 2013 Dick Howser Award Winner Kris Bryant, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2013 draft and a current rising star for the Chicago Cubs.
• Helped sign No. 1 recruiting class in 2008 and No. 2 class in 2010 at San Diego (Baseball America).
• Led PLNU to a 37-14 record as head coach in 2005. Previously worked as an assistant and led program to NAIA World Series in 2004.