Jay Johnson (baseball coach)
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_(cropped).jpg) Johnson in 2025 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | LSU |
| Conference | SEC |
| Record | 208–86 (.707) |
| Annual salary | $3.05 million per year |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | April 20, 1977 Oroville, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1997–1998 | Shasta College |
| 1999–2000 | Point Loma Nazarene |
| Position | Second baseman |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2001–2004 | Point Loma Nazarene (asst.) |
| 2005 | Point Loma Nazarene |
| 2006–2013 | San Diego (Asst.) |
| 2014–2015 | Nevada |
| 2016–2021 | Arizona |
| 2022–present | LSU |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 525–257 (.671) |
| Tournaments | NCAA: 43–16 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| |
| Awards | |
| |
Jay Bradley Johnson[1] (born April 20, 1977)[2] is an American college baseball coach and former second baseman, who is the current head baseball coach of the LSU Tigers, whom he led to national championship victories in 2023 and 2025. He played college baseball at Shasta College from 1997 to 1998 before transferring to Point Loma Nazarene.[3] He then served as the head coach at Point Loma Nazarene (2005), Nevada (2014–2015)[4][5][6] and Arizona (2016–2021).
Born and raised in Oroville, California, Johnson graduated from Oroville High School in 1995 and began his college baseball career at Shasta College, a junior college in Redding, California, in 1997.[2][7] After two years at Shasta, Johnson transferred to Point Loma Nazarene in the 1998–99 school year to complete his college career. A second baseman and starter in the 1999 and 2000 seasons, he hit .326 for the Sea Lions as a senior.[4]
Coaching career
While completing his bachelor's degree in physical education, Johnson became an assistant coach at Point Loma Nazarene in 2001 and remained an assistant coach after graduating before being promoted to head coach for the 2005 season.[8] Johnson led the Sea Lions to a #6 national ranking in the NAIA and a division championship.[4]
On August 23, 2005, Johnson became an assistant coach at the University of San Diego.[9] The Toreros won three West Coast Conference championships and made four appearances in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship with Johnson on staff.[4]
On June 28, 2013, Nevada announced that Johnson would take over as head coach.[5]
In two seasons at Nevada, Johnson guided the Wolf Pack to a 72–42 record. In 2015, Nevada posted a 41–15 record and captured the school's first-ever Mountain West title with a 22–7 mark in league play. The Wolf Pack was ranked in the top 25 for much of the season and totaled a 13–1 record in series of at least three games. The 41 overall wins ranked second in program history. In 2015 Johnson was named Mountain West Coach of the Year.
In 2016 Johnson guided the Wildcats to a seventh appearance in the College World Series where they ended up falling to Coastal Carolina in the championship series.
On June 24, 2021, Johnson left Arizona to become the head coach of the LSU Tigers.[10]. Johnson led LSU to 2 College World Series Titles in 2023 and 2025.