Spotlight Raven Series: Karis Johnson (Cross Country/Track & Field)

Karis Johnson enters the 2021-22 season in her first season as the Anderson University head cross country coach and her first season an Anderson assistant track and field coach.

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.

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.

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 her a Master of Business Administration from Lewis in 2021.

Fans can tune into the full Spotlight Raven Series interview with Karis Johnson here.