Johnson Joins Anderson Cross Country/Track & Field Staff

The Anderson University athletics department and Athletic Director Marcie Taylor are pleased to announce Karis Johnson has joined the coaching staff of the cross country and track & field programs, which was announced on Monday.

Johnson spent two years as an assistant cross country and track and field coach at NCAA Division II's Lewis University. She also competed for NCAA Division II's McKendree University for four years.

"I'm excited to bring Karis onboard to lead the men's and women's cross country programs," Marcie Taylor said. "Coach Johnson is relational, enthusiastic, organized and prepared to step into the role of training and mentoring student-athletes."

During Johnson's tenure at Lewis, the Flyers secured three Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) titles. The men's cross country team claimed the 2020 conference championship while the women's track and field team captured the 2020 indoor title and the 2021 outdoor title. Lewis's women's track and field team then took sixth place during the 2021 NCAA Division II Championships. Johnson coached the distance runners for Lewis. During that time, the Flyers totaled five all-conference recipients in cross country and three all-conference selections for the Lewis distance team in track and field.

"I am honored to be a part of Anderson University's staff," Karis Johnson said. "I can't wait to get started and I am very excited to see what this team can do."

While at McKendree, Johnson earned two fourth-place finishes in the 800 during the GLVC Championships. Johnson holds personal records of 2 minutes, 16.12 seconds in the 800-meter run and 5:08.30 in the 1-mile run. She served on McKendree's Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was also named McKendree's GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship recipient for women's outdoor track and field in 2016.

While at McKendree, Johnson earned a certification of First Aid in Mental Health. She also served as a CPR and First Aid instructor.

An Indianapolis native and Lawrence Central High School alumna, Johnson graduated from McKendree with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Sports Performance in 2018. She then earned a Master of Business Administration from Lewis in 2021.

Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.