DENVER – The University of Denver Division of Athletics has hired Fairfield assistant and former Boston College head coach Erik Johnson to begin his second stint as Denver's women's basketball head coach the 2026-27 campaign, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations Josh Berlo announced on Monday. Johnson's introductory press conference is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. MT in the Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness.
 
In his most recent position as an assistant at Fairfield, Johnson and the Stags posted a record of 102-27, won three MAAC Championships and made three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last four seasons. The Stags received votes in the national rankings in three consecutive seasons and cracked the top 25 in two of those three campaigns. 
 
Johnson first coached the DU women's basketball program from 2008-12, leading the Pioneers in their last four seasons in the Sun Belt Conference before heading east to the ACC's Boston College Eagles. Taking over a Denver team that went 11-19 prior to his arrival, Johnson went 72-52 in his four seasons in the Mile High City, finishing each of the four campaigns above .500, the program's longest streak in the Division-I era. The Pioneers made their first WNIT appearance, and just their second D-I postseason appearance overall in 2011. DU reached at least 18 wins in each of Johnson's last three years. Johnson will once again look to rebuild a Pioneers program that finished 11-19 and 6-12 in Summit League play last season. 
 
"Throughout the process of the search, we prioritized an experienced head coach of high character who has been a part of winning cultures and academic achievement," Berlo said. "In Erik Johnson, we not only found those traits, but we found a head coach that is very familiar with the attributes that make the University of Denver unique and successful; especially as the athletic department transitions to the West Coast Conference. I am ecstatic to welcome Erik and his family back home to the University of Denver.
 
 "After speaking with many colleagues in college basketball, including former DU student-athletes and administrators, it became very clear that Erik's passion for developing winning basketball with a culture that aligns with what it means to be a Pioneer will once again make him a tremendous asset to the program, athletic department and University. Erik has a robust recruiting network across the country, and he is very familiar with our new WCC footprint. The outreach we received from several women's basketball alumnae demonstrated the significant impact he has on his student-athletes. I'm excited to see him reconnect with the Rocky Mountain region and utilize the advantages that our campus, city, athletic department and new conference provide to rebuild a program that the University can be proud of." 
 
In his first stint at Denver, Johnson's Pioneers finished second in the western division of the Sun Belt Conference in each of his four years in charge, going a combined 44-24 in conference play. In his final two seasons at Denver, the Pioneers protected their home court, recording a 24-4 record on the DU campus. Johnson earned four wins over what was then teams from BCS conferences, getting victories against Minnesota, Oregon, Colorado and Vanderbilt. Johnson's final recruiting class in Denver was ranked 16^th nationally among mid-major schools by ESPN. Johnson's teams earned accolades for their academic performance as well, ranking 25^th in the WBCA Academic Top 25 in the WNIT campaign of 2010-11.
 
"DU holds a special place in our family's hearts, and we are thrilled to be coming back to Denver to coach the Pioneers," Johnson said. "The entire DU community treated our family and our staff incredibly well during our time here, and we were fortunate to get to coach so many amazing young women with whom we are still close to today. Those women had huge success in the classroom, in the community and on the court, and to see them thriving as adults is extremely gratifying for those of us who were lucky enough to coach them. The opportunity to come back and make those dedicated alums proud of DU women's basketball is a dream come true for me.
 
"DU is a gold mine of potential for basketball success. I know this first-hand having been able to recognize great on-court success in our first stint here, and I have been so impressed with the commitment that DU is making now to enter the WCC with full university support for putting DU women's basketball back on the national stage. The alignment and vision of Josh Berlo, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner and the board of trustees is inspiring, and their plans to make DU a basketball power in the WCC gets me fired up to get to work and make it all happen." 
  
After beating No. 19 Vanderbilt for the first top 25 win in program history during his first stint with the Pioneers, Johnson picked up his first win over a ranked opponent at Boston College in January 2015. The Eagles hit more three-pointers than any team in the ACC that season, knocking down 250 to rank 11^th nationally in three-pointers made per game (8.3) and 29^th in three-point field goal percentage (35.9).
 
Prior to taking the Denver head coaching job the first time, Johnson was an assistant at Boston College, helping the program to the 2006 NCAA Sweet 16.
 
Johnson has held additional roles as the WBCA Conference Captain for both the Sun Belt Conference (Denver) and the ACC (Boston College).
  
In between his time as a head coach at Boston College and rejoining the college ranks as an assistant at Fairfield in 2022, Johnson worked with the Positive Coaching Alliance, delivering workshops and performing speaking engagements for coaches, student-athletes, parents and administrators.
 
"The support for us from the alumni base and the Colorado high school and club basketball community has been heart-warming, and we are looking forward to filling the stands with passionate Pioneer fans who love watching great basketball," Johnson said. "We want to make DU women's basketball a sought-after destination for all the top players in this talent-rich state of Colorado. Let's get to work and go Pios!"
 
Johnson earned his bachelors degree in psychology from UC San Diego in 1994 and earned a master's degree in adult education from Rhode Island in 1997. His wife Laura was a former volleyball player at Ohio State and was an alternate for the 2000 Olympic Team. The Johnsons have two daughters, Daly and Avery. The couple's son Davis tragically passed away at the age of four in May of 2010. The Johnson family is thrilled to be back at DU, a place that Davis loved, and his memory is cherished.
 
Johnson's Coaching Career
2022-26 – Fairfield – Assistant Coach
2012-18 – Boston College – Head Coach
2008-12 – Denver – Head Coach
2005-08 – Boston College – Assistant Coach
2002-05 – San Diego – Associate Head Coach
1998-02 – San Diego – Assistant Coach
1995-98 – Rhode Island – Assistant Coach
 
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