| Career Accolades |
| • FHSU all-time coaching wins leader for men's basketball (473-230 overall in 24 years) |
| • 2009-10 & 2012-13 MIAA Coach of the Year |
| • 2005-06 RMAC Coach of the Year |
| • Ranks among Top 25 active NCAA Division II men's basketball coaches in win percentage (.673) |
| • 13 seasons of 20 or more wins |
| • 9 NCAA Tournament appearances |
| • 4 Conference Championships (2006 RMAC, 2011 MIAA Tournament, 2013 MIAA, 2025 MIAA Tournament) |
| • 4 All-America Selections |
| • 69 All-Conference Selections |
| • Coached the top scoring defense in NCAA Division II in both 2023-24 (57.9 ppg) and 2024-25 (59.9 ppg) |
Mark Johnson enters his 25th season as head coach of the Fort Hays State University men’s basketball program in 2025-26. He is the all-time coaching wins leader in FHSU history with a career record of 473-230, ranking among the Top 25 active NCAA Division II men’s basketball coaches in winning percentage (.673). Johnson has led the Tigers to nine NCAA Tournament appearances in his time at FHSU and four conference championships.
Johnson became the all-time wins leader in Fort Hays State history on January 11, 2014 in a victory at home over Lincoln University, recording his 258th win. Johnson is just one of three coaches in Fort Hays State's storied basketball history to record more than 200 wins. He reached his 300th career win on February 13, 2016 in a victory at Missouri Southern, then reached his 400th win on February 3, 2022 in exactly his 600th game as head coach. He has coached four All-Americans, 69 all-conference selections, a conference player of the year, two conference freshmen of the year, and four conference defensive players of the year in his time at FHSU.
Johnson has guided Fort Hays State to 13 seasons of 20 or more wins. The Tigers reached at least 18 wins in a season 19 times during Johnson's 24-year tenure. Johnson’s teams have made conference post-season tournament appearances 22 times, with five in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and 17 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).
Johnson coached the Tigers to 89 wins over the past four seasons, including a 23-6 record in 2021-22, a 21-9 mark in 2022-23, a 23-8 record in 2023-24, and a 22-10 mark in 2024-25. The Tigers owned the best scoring defense in the nation in both 2023-24 (57.9 ppg) and 2024-25 (59.9 ppg) and had the second-best scoring defense nationally in the two seasons prior to their current reign at the top. FHSU enjoyed time among the Top 20 of the NABC national rankings during the 2021-22, 2023-24, and 2024-25 seasons, ranking as high as No. 14 in 2023-24. The Tigers made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2016 during the 2023-24 season with 23 wins, but their 23-6 record in 2021-22 was the program's best record under Johnson in a season when they did not get selected to the NCAA Tournament. They returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2024-25 after winning the MIAA Tournament Championship. The Central Region of Division II is perennially one of the toughest to qualify for the national tournament. The region has produced the national champion in six of the last nine seasons going back to the 2015-16 season.
In 2013-14, Johnson guided the Tigers to a record of 22-8 overall and their sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament in his tenure. The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 15 nationally in 2013-14.
Fort Hays State finished 20-8 in 2012-13 and claimed its first MIAA Regular Season Championship, tying Central Missouri for the conference crown. For guiding the Tigers to a share of the title, Johnson earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors.
In 2011-12 the Tigers finished 19-9 and reached the Top 10 of the Division II national rankings for the third consecutive year with No. 8 as their highest ranking. The team set a new school record for most consecutive weeks in the national rankings, which ended at 36 consecutive weeks, dating back to the 2009-10 season.
In 2010-11, Johnson guided his team to the MIAA Tournament Championship and second consecutive second-place finish in conference regular season play with an overall mark of 26-7. It was the first MIAA Championship in any sport for Fort Hays State University after joining the conference in 2006-07. The Tigers went on to make their second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament and third in a run of four years. They advanced to the semifinals of the South Central Regional for the second consecutive year, making it the third time one of Johnson’s teams made the regional semifinal. Fort Hays State was one of just eight teams in NCAA Division II to remain in every weekly top 25 regular season poll, reaching as high as No. 3 in the nation with a 13-1 start to the season.
In 2009-10, FHSU posted a record of 23-7 and finished second in the MIAA. FHSU reached the semifinals of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional. With a 17-1 start to the season, the Tigers ascended all the way to No. 3 in the national rankings by mid-season. The Tigers entered the national rankings in early December and remained in the polls the remainder of the season. Johnson earned MIAA Co-Coach of the Year honors.
In 2008-09, Fort Hays State finished 20-9 overall and third in the MIAA standings, beginning a three-year run of at least 20 wins in a season. In 2007-08, the Tigers made their third NCAA Division II National Tournament appearance under Johnson, finishing 19-11 overall.
The best season for Fort Hays State under Johnson was in 2005-06, its last as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The team finished 27-4 overall, won the regular season conference title with an 18-1 record, and reached the NCAA Division II North Central Regional semifinals. The Tigers ranked No. 1 in the nation for two weeks during 2005-06. Johnson was named RMAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. He also coached the RMAC Player of the Year, Tyrone Shephard.
The first FHSU team Johnson guided to the NCAA Tournament was the 2002-03 squad. The Tigers posted a record of 23-8 that season, tied for third-most wins among Johnson’s teams at FHSU.
Prior to being named the head coach, Johnson served as the Tigers’ assistant coach from 1996 until 2001. He served as the Tigers’ interim coach following Gary Garner’s departure to Southeast Missouri State University prior to the start of the 1997-98 season. Before coming to FHSU, Johnson was the assistant coach at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma.
Johnson coached the 1994-95 season at Labette Community College under Rand Chappell and then moved with Chappell to Phillips University. Prior to that, he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Pittsburg State University.
Following a senior season that garnered him All-America, All-State, All-Metro and All-Conference honors at Omaha Millard South High School, Johnson played basketball at Kilgore Junior College, Kilgore, Texas. As a sophomore, he was selected to the Texas Eastern Athletic Conference Academic Team. After Kilgore, Johnson played two years at Pittsburg State University where he earned Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association honors twice and All-South Region honors as a senior.
A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Johnson received his associate’s degree from Kilgore Junior College in 1991, bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State in 1993, and master’s degree from Pittsburg State in 1994. He and his wife, Kenda (Pruter) of Natoma, Kansas, have three children, daughters Carly and Sylvia, and son Truman.
Johnson at Fort Hays State Year-By-Year
| Year |
Record |
Conference Finish (Postseason Advancement) |
| 2001-02 |
21-7 (14-5 RMAC) |
3rd RMAC East (RMAC Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2002-03 |
23-8 (13-6 RMAC) |
3rd RMAC East (NCAA Regional First Round) |
| 2003-04 |
17-11 (11-8 RMAC) |
4th RMAC East (RMAC Tournament First Round) |
| 2004-05 |
18-10 (12-7 RMAC) |
3rd RMAC East (RMAC Tournament First Round) |
| 2005-06 |
27-4 (18-1 RMAC) |
1st RMAC East (NCAA Regional Semifinals) |
| 2006-07 |
13-15 (6-12 MIAA) |
7th MIAA (MIAA Tournament First Round) |
| 2007-08 |
19-11 (10-8 MIAA) |
5th MIAA (NCAA Regional First Round) |
| 2008-09 |
20-9 (12-8 MIAA) |
3rd MIAA (MIAA Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2009-10 |
23-7 (16-4 MIAA) |
2nd MIAA (NCAA Regional Semifinals) |
| 2010-11 |
26-7 (16-6 MIAA) |
2nd MIAA (NCAA Regional Semifinals) |
| 2011-12 |
19-9 (12-8 MIAA) |
5th MIAA (MIAA Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2012-13 |
20-8 (13-5 MIAA) |
T-1st MIAA (MIAA Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2013-14 |
22-8 (13-6 MIAA) |
4th MIAA (NCAA Regional First Round) |
| 2014-15 |
16-13 (9-10 MIAA) |
9th MIAA (MIAA Tournament First Round) |
| 2015-16 |
20-11 (13-9 MIAA) |
4th MIAA (NCAA Regional First Round) |
| 2016-17 |
18-11 (11-8 MIAA) |
T-4th MIAA (MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals) |
| 2017-18 |
19-12 (10-9 MIAA) |
7th MIAA (MIAA Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2018-19 |
18-11 (12-7 MIAA) |
4th MIAA (MIAA Tournament Quarterfinals) |
| 2019-20 |
14-14 (7-12 MIAA) |
T-9th MIAA |
| 2020-21 |
11-11 (11-11 MIAA) |
T-7th MIAA |
| 2021-22 |
23-6 (17-5 MIAA) |
3rd MIAA (MIAA Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2022-23 |
21-9 (15-7 MIAA) |
T-3rd MIAA (MIAA Tournament Semifinals) |
| 2023-24 |
23-8 (17-5 MIAA) |
2nd MIAA (NCAA Regional First Round) |
| 2024-25 |
22-10 (12-7 MIAA) |
**4th MIAA (NCAA Regional First Round) |
| Overall |
473-230 (300-174) |
9 NCAA Tournament Appearances,
4 Conference Titles (2 Regular Season, 2 Tourney) |
** Note - The MIAA used KPI standings to determine seeds for the MIAA Tournament in 2024-25. FHSU was the No. 2 seed.
