Derrick Johnson is an experienced collegiate athletics administrator with more than 15 years working in leadership roles around the country. Johnson said his graduate education from the United States Sports Academy opened doors and informed his career path every step of the way.
Johnson is the Associate Dean of Athletics at Fresno (Calif.) City College, where he oversees 23 teams across 20 sports and nearly 600 student-athletes. He earned his Master of Sports Science degree in sports management from the Academy. Johnson said his Academy degree has been invaluable and opened doors in his career that would not have been there without it.
“There are a lot of schools out there that are selling degrees, but the Academy sells a real, rigorous, and valuable education,” Johnson said. “I have used my Academy education every single day in my career. My master’s degree has been very helpful in my career every step of the way.
“I recommend the Academy to student athletes who are looking for a graduate degree all the time. For me, the Academy is a no-brainer. If you want a real sport education taught by people who actually understand what it means to be a leader in sports, you need to check out the Academy.”
Johnson joined Fresno City College after spending the previous 22 months at Middlesex County College (MCC) in Edison, New Jersey as Director of Athletics and Recreation and with over 15 years of athletic administration experience.
Prior to MCC, Johnson made stops at Elizabeth City State University, Riverside City College, and Benedict College. He has served in positions such as director of athletics, associate athletics director, sports information director, head baseball coach and assistant director of public relations and marketing all at the collegiate level.
Like many Academy students, Johnson worked full time while pursuing his degree. At the time, Johnson was the head baseball coach at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C.
“I was coaching at Benedict and working on their accreditation team, when I met a few people who had degrees from the Academy,” Johnson said. “They all had rave reviews for the Academy, and when I enrolled there I found out those reviews were spot on.
“The Academy was a great fit because the professors there actually understood the demands of a career as a sports administrator,” Johnson said. “They understood my rigorous schedule and worked with me around my busy life. I can’t say enough good things about the Academy.”
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Mass Communications with concentration in Public Relations from the University of South Carolina-Aiken, where he was a standout baseball player. Johnson was drafted by the Florida Marlins organization in 1993 and 1994 and had a brief stint playing Double-A baseball. In 2008 he was inducted into the Ewing High School Athletic Hall of Fame in Trenton, New Jersey for past accomplishments in football and baseball.
