Utah State University Athletics

The second-winningest coach in program history, Steve Johnson is in his 10th season at Utah State, after being named the ninth head coach of the Aggie softball program on June 26, 2013.
 
In his tenure with the Aggies, Johnson has posted an overall record of 186-249. He has coached 16 players to 21 all-Mountain West accolades, while three players have earned NFCA all-region honors. Off the field, Johnson has led his players to 95 academic all-MW honors, 67 MW Scholar-Athlete awards and 50 NFCA/Easton Scholar-Athlete nods.
 
USU finished its 2022 campaign with a 28-28 overall record, including a 13-11 finish in MW action, marking the Aggies’ best season since the 2017 campaign. Utah State had a nine-game winning streak, the best streak since USU reeled off 11 in 1993. The Aggies opened conference play with a 7-0 mark for Utah State’s second-best start in league action in program history, trailing USU's 11-0 start in the Intermountain Athletic Conference in 1981, the same year the Aggies won the AIAW World Series.
 
Two USU softball players earned all-MW honors in 2022, as catcher Gabriella Jimenez earned first-team honors and pitcher Kapri Toone was named to the second team. Shortstop Lexi Orozco was a NFCA Division I Third Team All-Region honoree. The Aggies set new program records in single-season runs scored (283), walks drawn (177) and sacrifice flies (22).

Off the field, Utah State had 14 players earn academic all-MW honors and 13 were named MW Scholar-Athletes.

Utah State posted a 14-30 overall record in the 2021 season, including a 4-17 MW record. Three Aggies earned all-MW honors in second baseman Zaia Castruita, third baseman Kennedy Hira and outfielder Stephanie Reed. Castruita led USU with a batting average of .315.

In the classroom, Utah State had 18 players earn academic all-MW honors and 11 were named MW Scholar-Athletes. Additionally, a program-record 15 players earned Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete awards. 

Johnson led Utah State to a strong start in the 2020 campaign, as the team posted a 13-11 record before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outfielder Riley Plogger set the all-time runs record that year, ending her career with 114. Three Aggies earned all-MW honors, in outfielder Mazie Macfarlane, outfielder Stephanie Reed and pitcher Kapri Toone. 

The team also performed well in the classroom during the 2019-20 academic year, as seven players earned academic all-MW honors and 11 were named MW Scholar-Athletes.

The 2019 Aggies posted an overall record of 17-30, while going 6-17 against MW opponents. Highlighting the season was the offensive performance of Lexi Orozco, who set the single-season home run record with 13 and earned first-team all-MW honors. 

Off the field, Utah State had six student-athletes earn academic all-MW accolades, while a program-record 14 were named MW Scholar-Athletes. In addition, five earned Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete awards.

Utah State ended the 2018 season with an 18-34 record, going 7-17 in MW play. As a team, USU batted .273 on the year with 381 hits and 211 runs scored. Catcher Brina Buttacavoli represented the Aggies on the all-conference teams, earning second team honors. 

USU saw great success in the classroom in 2018, where several student-athletes were recognized. The Aggies earned 11 academic all-MW honors, along with eight MW Scholar-Athlete Awards. Additionally, 10 Utah State players were recognized as Easton Scholar-Athletes by the NFCA.

The Aggies finished the 2017 season with a 33-18 overall record, while going 14-9 in MW play to finish tied for third in league standings. The 33 wins marked the most by the Utah State program since 1993, when the team posted a 39-17 record. Additionally, the 14 conference wins were the most since 1996, when the team went 17-15 in Big West action. USU also made its first postseason appearance in 24 years in 2017, playing in the inaugural National Invitational Softball Championship.

Three Utah State softball players earned all-MW accolades in 2017, as pitcher Kellie White earned first-team honors, and second baseman Victoria Saucedo and Plogger were named to the second team. The team shattered the program’s stolen base record with 92 on the year, while several individual players earned a spot on the career record lists. 

On the year, Utah State batted .309, just one point shy of tying the school record. The Aggies tallied 431 hits and scored 265 runs during the season. Off the field, nine Utah State players earned academic all-MW honors, while two were named MW Scholar Athletes. 

Johnson led the 2016 team to a 26-25 record, while going 12-12 in MW action. Utah State finished tied for third in the conference, their highest finish since joining the MW and the highest overall conference finish since 1992. It is also the first time since the 1996 campaign that Utah State finished with a record above .500.

Over the course of the 2016 season, the Aggies set new program records in runs scored (281), doubles (86), home runs (50), total bases (701), RBIs (259), slugging percentage (.492) and on base percentage (.383). On an individual level, three players set or tied single-season records. Outfielder Sarah Chow hit a program-best eight triples on the year, while outfielder Jazmin Clarke shattered the stolen base record with 25 during the season. Saucedo tied the home run record, hitting 12 during her junior season.

Three Aggies earned all-MW honors in 2016, as Clarke, Saucedo and outfielder/pitcher Alleyah Armendariz were each named to the second team. Additionally, 12 members of the USU roster earned academic all-conference honors and five were named MW Scholar-Athletes. 

In 2015, Johnson coached the Aggies to a 19-36 record, going 11-13 in MW action. Overall, the Aggies hit .254 on the year, ending the season with 439 hits and 252 runs scored. The Aggies also saw an increase in doubles from 58 in 2014 to 81. 

Four Utah State players earned all-MW honors following the 2015 campaign, as outfielder Hailey Froton and pitcher Noelle Johnson earned first-team honors and Armendariz and Chow were named to the second team. The four all-conference recognitions are the most for a Utah State team since 1993, when four players earned all-Big West honors. Off the field, five student-athletes received academic all-MW honors, while three were named MW Scholar-Athletes.

In his first season at Utah State in 2014, Johnson led the team to an 18-37 record, including a 6-18 conference ledger in Utah State’s first year in the MW. In his USU debut, Johnson coached Saucedo to MW Freshman of the Year and first-team all-conference honors, while helping Noelle Johnson to break the USU single-season strikeout record (218). Johnson also coached Froton to the then-single-season RBI record with 41.

Along with Saucedo’s all-conference honors, nine players earned academic all-MW accolades, while four were named MW Scholar Athletes.

Johnson took over the Utah State program after five years at Auburn as the assistant head coach. Working primarily with the Tigers’ hitters, slappers and infielders, Johnson helped Auburn advance to three Southeastern Conference Tournaments and NCAA Regional appearances in four years. In 2011, Auburn was ranked in both the ESPN and NFCA top 25 polls, spending 12 weeks in the NFCA poll and reaching a high of No. 21. Auburn also registered its first-ever series win over a top-five team, taking two-of-three games from No. 4 Georgia. The 2012 Tigers hit the most home runs (46) since the 2005 squad hit a program-record 68.

At Auburn, Johnson coached five players who earned all-SEC honors, and four players who earned SEC all-freshman team accolades, including tying a school record with two in 2013. In 2011, Auburn set program top-five marks in batting average (.279), runs scored (272), RBI (235), doubles (97), triples (8) and walks (160). 

Johnson made his head coaching debut at the Division II level, spending the 2003-08 seasons at UNC Pembroke, where he compiled a 153-164 record. 

Johnson led the Braves to a 46-14 overall record in 2008 and the Peach Belt Conference Championship, going 17-1 in league action. He also led UNC Pembroke to the program’s first ever NCAA Regional appearance in 2008, earning NFCA South Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2008. That season, the Braves set or tied 33 school records, including most wins in a season (46) and most conference wins (17). UNCP players earned a total of six all-region awards and three All-America honors under Johnson’s tutelage in 2008.

While at Pembroke, Johnson’s teams broke 73 school records and had 39 players earn Peach Belt Academic Honor Roll accolades.

Prior to his stint at UNC Pembroke, Johnson served as an assistant coach at South Dakota State from 2000-02.

Johnson began his professional coaching career as the head coach at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa from 1997-2000.

Johnson earned his undergraduate degree in U.S. history and secondary education from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, graduating cum laude in 1997. Johnson earned a graduate degree in athletic administration from South Dakota State University in 2002.

A native of West Des Moines, Iowa, Johnson is married to the former Heather Wesemen and the couple has one daughter, Collette.