The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball coach, Erica Leak, has announced the hiring of Xavier Johnson as the program’s assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Coach Johnson to Golden Lions Nation,” Leak said. “He will bring an incredible amount of experience both on and off the court to our program. Xavier is an elite-level recruiter and teacher. Our student-athletes are going to thrive under his leadership. He brings great experience and knowledge of the women’s basketball circuit landscape to help continue our vision of the good direction our program is going.”
Johnson has over 10 years of coaching experience, following an 11-year tenure with Greg McCall at California State Bakersfield. In 2023, he was selected to participate in the inaugural WBCA Next Generation Institute, a new advanced education program for experienced assistant coaches aspiring to become head coaches at NCAA Division I, II, and III levels.
Johnson’s coaching career began as a graduate assistant at the University of Mississippi from 2001 to 2003, where he assisted with practice, film breakdown, exchange, and recruitment for the men’s program under former Naismith Coach of the Year and current California State Bakersfield head coach Rod Barnes.
He started as an assistant coach during the 2013-14 season and was later promoted to associate head coach before the 2014-15 season.
Johnson has a strong focus on recruiting and player development. Over an 11-year period, he was responsible for recruiting 32 athletes, with players achieving several accolades within the WAC and Big West Conference. A native of Biloxi, MS, Johnson graduated from William Penn University in 2000 with a degree in Sports Administration. He played for two seasons for the Statesmen. He has three children: Madison, Caiden, and Aria.
Arkansas Pine Bluff names Xavier Johnson as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator
