University of New Mexico Lobos - Women's Basketball

The University of New Mexico (UNM) established basketball as a varsity sport in 1899, but it wasn't until 1920 when they hired a new basketball coach. It was at that point the UNM athletic department became competitive among colleges in the Western United States.

When Johnson arrived in 1920, the school's gym was a small wooden building where the walls were out-of-bounds markers for basketball games. Johnson soon oversaw the construction of Carlisle Gym. He also built the first grass football field and bleachers at UNM.

Near the end of his career, he oversaw construction of the 7,800-seat arena that bears his name, Johnson Gymnasium, which opened in 1957. For many years, Johnson Gym was the most prominent feature of the UNM campus for those driving along Central Ave./Route 66.

During a seven year stretch of Johnson's time as basketball coach, the Lobos posted a 95-31 (.754) record. The Lobos won 157 games with Johnson as head basketball coach, a school record for thirty years and third on the all-time list.

In 1962, the Lobos became a founding member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), remaining until 1999.