March 26, 2013 (Middlebury, VT) – Former Middlebury skier and two-time U.S. Olympian Andrew Johnson has been named the new head coach of the nordic ski program at Middlebury College. Johnson comes to Middlebury from the University of Vermont, where he served as an assistant coach for the past three years, helping the Catamounts to the 2012 NCAA title.

“I couldn’t be happier to be joining the Middlebury athletic department and ski team,” said Johnson. “The strong culture and history of skiing at Middlebury makes it a unique place to be, both for students and as a coach.”

Before joining the Catamounts, Johnson was an assistant nordic coach at the University of Utah during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. While at Utah, he earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies.

“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew Johnson back to Middlebury to take over as the head coach of the nordic skiing program,” said Director of Athletics Erin Quinn. “Andrew brings a wealth of skiing experience at the highest levels of the sport, as well as excellent coaching experience.  Most importantly, he is an outstanding teacher and his philosophies of coaching and building teams will be an excellent fit with Middlebury College.”

A native of Greensboro, Vermont, Johnson was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1999-2007. He competed in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. He also competed in the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Johnson was the U.S. National Champion in cross-country skiing in 2005 and 2006.

Johnson began his career at Middlebury College where he was a three-time NCAA All-American from 1997-99 under head coach Terry Aldrich. He was the U.S. Junior National Champion in cross-country skiing in 1996.

“Middlebury’s demonstrated commitment to skiing coupled with its outstanding campus facilities and impressive upgrades at Rikert Nordic Center make it an ideal place to be,” added Johnson. “Having attended Middlebury College and skied for the program, it’s a bit of a dream come true to be able to return and help lead the ski team into its next chapter.”