BOSTON – Robyne Johnson has resigned as the director of track & field and cross country to take a similar position at the University of California - Berkeley. A national search to replace Johnson will begin immediately.
 
"The BU track & field and cross country programs have excelled under Robyne's guidance over the past 14 years with some of our very best athletes and scholars," said BU Director of Athletics Drew Marrochello. "This is a fantastic opportunity for Robyne and we wish her and her family all the best at Cal."

Under Johnson, the Terriers won nine conference track & field titles and five conference cross country titles. The 29-year coaching veteran has been honored numerous times, including three times as the USTFCCCA Northeast Region Indoor Track Women's Coach of the Year. Johnson is a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year and seven-time America East Coach of the Year. She also received the 2017 William French Memorial Award from the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame executive committee; the award is presented to a current or former Boston University coach or to a graduate of Boston University who has distinguished himself or herself in the coaching profession in the past year.

Johnson coached her athletes to 27 All-America selections, including five-time All-American Rich Peters, who was the 2012 national runner-up in the mile, and five-time All-American Katie Matthews. Allison Barwise was a four-time All-American in the high jump while Tahari James was a three-time All-American in the triple jump during Johnson's tenure at BU.

"I want to thank Drew and the entire Boston University Athletics family for 14 great years," Johnson said. "It's been an fabulous experience. I've coached some terrific student-athletes and worked with some outstanding coaches. It's bittersweet to leave and I'll miss everyone here. I'll always love BU."

In the summer of 2016, Johnson was named an assistant coach for the 2016 United States Track & Field Olympic Team that competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she worked with the jumpers and athletes competing in combined events. Under her guidance, long jumpers Tianna Bartoletta and Brittney Reese won gold and silver, marking the first time the USA won gold and silver in the triple jump in Olympic history. During her time in Rio, Team USA won three gold, three silver and one bronze medal in horizontal jumps. 
 
Prior to her coaching career, Johnson was a five-time All-American in the triple jump at Texas and was a key contributor to the Longhorns' first outdoor national championship squad in 1982. 
 
After 14 seasons at the helm of BU, Johnson returns home to Cal where she served as an assistant coach from 1995 to 2003. Johnson is a native of Oakland and attended Berkeley High School where she competed at the 1980 Jr. Pan American games and was a high school All-American.