For the first time in school history, a Lewis-Clark State coach outside of the baseball program was recognized with a national honor.

Austin Johnson, who just finished his second season leading the men’s basketball program, was named Friday as the National Association of Basketball Coaches NAIA Division I coach of the year.

In his second season leading the Warriors, Johnson piloted the team to an overall record of 29-3, including a 15-3 mark in the Frontier Conference, and a winning percentage of .906. It was the best finish in program history. Before the coronavirus shut down all of the sports world, LCSC won the FC’s regular-season and tournament titles. Johnson also won the conference’s coach of the year honor.

“An award like this only comes from the investment and togetherness of a group of people,” Johnson said. “It’s a reflection of how elite our team was this year and I can’t thank the players enough for buying in and making winning decisions all year long. They competed with confidence and joy that was sustained from the day they set foot on campus to the day the season ended.”

In two years, Johnson has an overall mark of 59-10, including a 28-8 record in conference play, for a winning percentage of .855. The Warriors have claimed two regular-season conference titles (shared in 2018-19) and won the league tourney both years Johnson has been in charge. Last season, LCSC made it to the national semifinal round before falling to league foe Carroll, one game short of the national championship.

This season, the Warriors achieved their highest national ranking ever, peaking at the No. 3 spot in the Feb. 19 NAIA Top 25 coaches poll, even garnering a No. 1 vote, as LCSC got off to a 25-1 start. The Warriors were set to play No. 25 Talladega (Ala.) in the first round of the NAIA national tournament before the organization pulled the plug on the event because of COVID-19. The Warriors finished the year No. 6 in the country.

Johnson’s No. 2 on the bench, Leif Karlberg, said there was no one more deserving of this season’s honor.

“From the moment he took this job, he has set the tone for our program with his work ethic, energy and servant leadership,” said Karlberg, the associate head coach. “He is always the first to give credit to others. I believe that the balance, toughness and love for one another that this year’s team embodied is a direct reflection of his leadership.”

The Warriors statistically were one of the best teams in the nation. LCSC ranked second in the nation in 3-pointers made per game (11.38), total 3-pointers made (364), assist/turnover ratio (1.54) and 3-point field goal percentage (42.8 percent). The Warriors were third in field-goal percentage defense (39.8 percent), scoring margin (21.25) and scoring defense per game (64.0).

LCSC’s Damek Mitchell was a third-team All-American, and Trystan Bradley, a Lewiston High School graduate, was an honorable mention selection. Johnson coached four All-Frontier Conference student-athletes (Mitchell, Bradley, Travis Yenor and Josiah Westbrook), including the conference’s Co-Defender of the Year (Mitchell) and Sixth Man of the Year (Clarkston’s Jake Albright). The Warriors led the Frontier Conference with eight Academic All-Frontier Conference selections (Mitchell, Bradley, Yenor, Westbrook, Conner Moffatt, Hodges Bailey, Khalil Stevenson and Braeden Wilson).

Athletic director Brooke Henze said Johnson exemplifies what the entire program is about.

“The Warrior family is extremely proud and excited for coach Johnson,” Henze said. “He is very deserving of this honor for several reasons. He is a great coach, teacher, husband, father and role model to the young men in the program both on and off the court. His success with wins and losses on the court is matched by the success of his student-athletes in the classroom.”

Johnson is the first Warrior coach outside of baseball to be named the National Coach of the Year by a major organization. Ed Cheff won the NAIA coach of the year award eight times, Jeremiah Robbins won the American Baseball Coaches Association/Diamond-NAIA honor three times.

Former men’s basketball coach Brandon Rinta won the Don Meyer coach of the year award in 2013, but it is not one of the NAIA recognized major awards.

“We are incredibly proud of coach Austin Johnson,” school president Cynthia Pemberton said. “He is a quality educator, coach and individual. Coach Johnson lives the Warrior Way as a person and education professional, and his team’s success as well as this honor reflect that. We applaud and celebrate with him in this well-deserved award.”

Johnson also gave credit to Karlberg, the rest of the LCSC athletic department and administration, and his family.

“It’s also very much a staff award with an added emphasis on the work Leif Karlberg does as associate head coach,” Johnson said. “A special thanks should go to my wife, Kelli, who has been an unbelievable support to both myself and our program. Lastly, thank you to the LC administration of Dr. Cynthia Pemberton and Brooke Henze. I’m grateful to be at such a great school representing such an awesome community here in the LC Valley.”

Walden may be reached at (208) 848-2258, dwalden@lmtribune.com, or on Twitter at @waldo9939.