Fresno State Athletics
Johnson Appointed Interim Athletics Director
 |  Scott Johnson came to Fresno State in 1981 as Sports Information Director. |
July 3, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - Scott Johnson, who for the past five years has served as associate athletics director, was named today as Interim Athletics Director at Fresno State by university President Dr. John D. Welty. Johnson replaced Dr. Al Bohl, who last week was hired as athletics director at the University of Kansas. Johnson will serve in the interim role until the appointment of the permanent athletics director sometime during the academic year.
"I am extremely pleased that Scott has agreed to serve in the interim role until the selection of the new athletics director," Welty said. "Scott has an excellent reputation in the community and throughout the university. He has been a major contributor to the program's growth over the past 20 years. I'm sure he will be able to keep our athletic programs moving ahead as we work to fill this important position."
Johnson first came to Fresno State in 1981 as the sports information director. In 1992 he was promoted to assistant athletics director for communication and sports information by then-athletics director Gary Cunningham. In the spring of 1996, he was again promoted within the department to the position of associate athletics director.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity," said Johnson. "This is something I have worked for all of my career and I feel I have accomplished a lot to put myself in this position. I am looking forward to the challenge of leading this department. I believe it will be an important and exciting time for Fresno State athletics."
During his tenure as associate athletics director, Johnson has worked behind the scenes as the sports supervisor of the football, men's basketball and baseball programs. Each of those programs made postseason appearances in each of the last two years. Johnson is responsible for football scheduling, and has developed the most aggressive non-conference schedules in school history. He negotiated contracts with UCLA, Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
Johnson served as the department's liaison for the Save Mart Center and was instrumental in the planning and development of that $103 million project, which broke ground May 8. Johnson and project coordinator, Debbie Adishian-Astone, represented the university for the contract negotiations with Pepsi and Save Mart for the initial $40 million donation to the project.
His radio and television background was vital in the recently developed WAC-ESPN television package, in which Fresno State will get a minimum of four football games on ESPN in 2001 with the potential for a school record six nationally televised games.
While supervising the areas of marketing, communications and the sports medicine staff, Johnson developed the Bulldog Authentic Apparel merchandise entity and the highly successful Bulldog Shop. His nearly 25 years of Division I collegiate athletics experience have included responsibilities in public relations, radio and television, sports information, media relations, fundraising and special projects.
His responsibilities in radio and television include all radio and television contracts for Fresno State. Johnson has developed the WAC's most comprehensive media package for women's sports.
Johnson joined the department in 1981 as sports information director after five years at Oregon State University.
He has worked NCAA basketball regional tournaments, been director of NCAA regional and WAC baseball championship tournaments and coordinated publicity campaigns for national caliber athletes, including Kevin Sweeney's and Trent Dilfer's Heisman Trophy campaigns.
Johnson is a graduate of the University of Oregon with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He also obtained his master's degree in sports administration from Fresno State in May 2000. Johnson has a daughter Alexis and two sons, Troy and Austin. His wife, Karen, is Fresno State's Director of Housing. Johnson was born on July 2, 1950.