Dani Johnson - Women's Soccer Coach - Bowling Green State University Athletics

Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics

Dani Johnson

Title:
Assistant Women's Soccer Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Email:
daniemj@bgsu.edu

Dani Johnson recently wrapped up her first season on the women's soccer staff at Bowling Green State University. Head coach Jimmy Walker announced Johnson's hiring in late February of 2020. Johnson, a Toledo native, joined the Falcon program after coaching under Walker for two highly-successful seasons at the University of Findlay.

Johnson followed head coach Jimmy Walker to BG in time for Walker's first season at the helm of the Falcons. Walker and Company took over a team that had won two consecutive MAC titles. The new coaches, at the helm of a program that was expected by many observers to win yet another title, barely had time to get to know their new team before everyone’s world changed due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.

But, when all was said and done, a season that was unlike any other ended just as the previous two seasons had ended – with BGSU capturing the MAC championship. The Falcons posted a 6-1-1 overall record and a 5-1-0 mark in MAC regular-season play in the spring of 2021, and BG downed Ball State in the conference championship.

The Falcons outscored opponents, 17-3, and all 11 starters return in the fall of 2021. The returning players accounted for all 17 of the goals and 10 of the team’s 11 assists in the spring. Nikki Cox and Madi Wolfbauer were named to both the All-MAC First Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team in 2020(-21). Lili Berg, Jasmijn Dijsselhof and Audrey Shea each earned All-MAC honors as well, while Berg and Kennedy White also represented the Falcons on the all-region squad.

Berg, Shea and the BGSU defensive corps helped the Falcons tie for first in the entire nation in shutout percentage (.750), with six shutouts in the eight matches. At the other end of the pitch, Wolfbauer led a balanced scoring attack with five goals.

In the classroom, a school-record 17 Falcons were named to the Academic All-MAC Team, and BGSU had an eye-popping 3.806 team GPA in the spring 2021 semester.

In seven years at the collegiate level – four as a player and three as an assistant coach – Johnson's teams posted a combined record of 119-17-7.

In their two years at Findlay, Walker and Johnson guided the Oilers to an overall record of 25-7-4 and the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. UF advanced past Rockhurst via penalty kicks in the first round of the national tournament, before seeing the historic season come to a close with a narrow, 1-0 loss in the NCAA Regional Semifinal round.

The duo's first season with the Oilers saw the team post an 11-4-2 record, which was a six-win improvement from the year before. Then, in 2019, Findlay went 14-3-2 overall, posting the program's highest win total since 1997 and winning the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) regular-season championship.

"I am thrilled to be a part of an elite program and university that pursues those extra percentages on the daily," said Johnson. "I have deep roots within the Midwest and I'm excited to strengthen and grow those roots to new measures alongside Jimmy Walker. This is an incredible opportunity for me to continue to grow and learn as a young coach in this profession."

Johnson joined the Findlay program after a standout playing career at Grand Valley State University. She helped the Lakers to at least the quarterfinal round of the national tournament in all four seasons, and GVSU won the NCAA Division II National Championship in both 2014 and 2015 before finishing as the national runner-up in 2016.

Johnson was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team in her senior season of 2017, and also earned D2CCA All-America Second-Team accolades. She earned All-Midwest Region First-Team honors from both organizations that fall.

Johnson was the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 as the Lakers advanced to the Elite 8 for the ninth consecutive season.

A two-time All-GLIAC First-Team selection, she was twice named to the GLIAC's All-Academic Team as well.

During her four-year career, the Lakers had an overall record of 88-9-4 and a GLIAC record of 42-1-1. GVSU was 32-0-0 in conference play over her last three seasons, and the Lakers won the league's regular-season and tournament titles in all four years.

GVSU had a record of 14-2-2 in NCAA Tournament matches during Johnson's four years with the program.

In addition to Findlay, Johnson's coaching experience includes stints with several clubs, including Pacesetter SC in Sylvania and Midwest United in Grand Rapids, Mich.

A graduate of Notre Dame Academy, Johnson recorded 37 goals and 32 assists during her four-year high-school career with the Eagles. She helped head coach Chip Smith's team to a Three Rivers Athletic Conference title and a district championship in her senior season of 2013. That fall, she was named the TRAC Player of the Year and also earned NSCAA All-Region IV and OHSAA Division I All-State First Team honors. A four-time all TRAC, All-District and All-Academic selection, she was named to the OHSAA All-State Second team in her junior year.

Johnson played club ball for Pacesetter SC for nearly a decade, and her coaches there included Jimmy Walker. She helped the club to numerous championships, including the 2014 Ohio State Cup title.

Johnson is a 2018 graduate of GVSU, earning her bachelor's degree in communication with a minor in hospitality management.