| The University | The President | Athletic Director | Staff Directory |

R.C. Johnson Athletic Director

R.C. Johnson came aboard in February of 1996 and immediately set forth in bringing U of M Tiger athletics into national prominence. Over the last 14 years, the dynamic administrator has built Tiger Athletics into a nationally-recognized program that has been to five bowl games in the last seven years and played for the Men's Basketball National Championship title in 2007-08. In addition, for the last 11 straight years, donations to the department have continued to rise, and on June 30, 2010, a record-setting $7.3 million was announced by the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

Also in the last seven years under Johnson, the Tigers have captured 14 total C-USA championships in men's basketball, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's golf and men's track. The men's basketball program has garnered five regular-season titles (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) and four C-USA Tournament championships (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), while the women's soccer program claimed consecutive league championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Johnson is currently spearheading his second major capital campaign which benefits nearly every area of the Tiger Athletic Department. Included in the $12.9 million project is a new addition to the Athletic Office Building, a weight room and turf practice field for Tiger Football, a redesign of the Tiger baseball stadium that was unveiled for the 2010 season, the completed golf practice facility, a renovation of the Finch Center men's basketball practice facility, a renovation of the women's basketball and volleyball locker rooms and the Anfernee Hardaway Hall of Fame to honor Tiger athletes.

Johnson's first capital campaign was previously the largest fund-raising effort in the history of Memphis athletics. The $8 million campaign included a new 8,000-square-foot football and basketball office complex addition, a new basketball practice facility, which is still considered one of the best in the country, and a complete renovation of the Murphy Athletic Complex.

During his tenure, Johnson has created the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the Tiger Scholarship Fund Board of Directors and the Athletic Director's Ambassador's Club. The Ambassador's Club, which started with two members in 1997, has reached an all-time high of 41 members under Johnson. A significant revenue source for Tiger Athletics, members of the Ambassador's Club pledge to commit $500,000.

In June 2007, Johnson inked a lucrative long-term contract extension with Learfield Sports, which enabled Tiger Sports Properties to retain the multimedia rights for Memphis Athletics through 2017. The Tigers signed on with Learfield Sports in 2001, granting the partner radio and television rights, athletic venue signage, game day promotions and sponsorships, as well as the official athletic department website. Terms for the contract call for the Tigers to receive a financial guarantee each year of the agreement and to participate in annual revenue sharing. In 2008, the U of M entered into a five-year, $11.3 million partnership with Nike to provide shoes, apparel and equipment for all Tiger athletic teams.

R.C. and Melba Johnson

A believer in academic excellence as well as athletic success and national prominence, Johnson leads a department that set a school record with 51 percent of its student-athletes achieving a 3.0 or higher during the spring 2010 semester. For the most recent academic year, which includes fall 2009 and spring 2010, 339 student-athletes earned at least a 3.0 GPA and eight had a 4.0 for the year and 33 others had a 4.0 either in the fall or spring. For the spring 2010 semester, the athletic department as a whole posted its highest GPA ever with a 2.94 and 23 student-athletes garnered a 4.0 GPA. In May 2010, 48 athletes earned their degrees, marking the largest group for one ceremony since 2002 when the athletic academic services department began keeping record.

Before taking over Tiger Athletics, Johnson was responsible for directing a Temple program with more than 500 student-athletes in 20 men's and women's intercollegiate sports, including nationally-visible programs in men's basketball and football. He was named Temple's director of athletics on May 9, 1994, after serving nearly six years as director of athletics at Miami (Ohio) University. He had also previously led the department at Eastern Illinois from 1980-88, and was the associate athletic director at Northern Iowa from 1974-80.

A former football coach himself, Johnson served as an assistant at Mankato State University from 1968-74. He coached at Youngstown State University during the 1967 and 1968 seasons after serving as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa (1965-67) and the University of Iowa (1963-65).

An Ottawa, Ill., native, Johnson holds his bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Iowa in 1965 and earned his master's degree in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1967. Johnson is a member of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics and serves on the NCAA Leadership Council. A veteran administrator in Conference USA, Johnson sits on both the C-USA Bowl Committee and the league's Finance Committee. In addition, he is a member of the University of Memphis President's Council.

Johnson and his wife, Melba, have three children: Jeff, P.A. and Michelle; five grandchildren and one great grandson.