Bio

Mark “Rusty” Johnson enters his seventh season at the helm, and eighth campaign overall at De Anza College in 2020.

During his tenure as coach, De Anza has advanced to the playoffs each season – pushing the program to Top-15 finishes nationwide three times, with two Coast Conference championship titles. A perennial power in the conference, De Anza regularly transfers quality soccer players to the four-year university level. 

Prior to joining De Anza, Johnson spent 10 years as an assistant coach for his alma mater, Santa Clara University, where he primarily worked with the goalkeepers.

Coaching the men’s side, he was involved in helping the Broncos to a College Cup in 2003, and four West Coast Conference titles. During this time, Santa Clara advanced to the semi-finals (2003), the quarter-finals (2006) – and over the course of his career, coached in 14 NCAA Division-1 playoff games. 

While serving as the goalkeeper coach at Santa Clara, he helped several goalkeepers that went on to play professionally – including Steve Cronin (SJ Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, DC United), Kevin Klasila (Charleston Battery), Larry Jackson (Oakland Roots), and Kendall McIntosh (Portland Timbers).

During this time, the program similarly elevated several field players, including Dylan Autran (FC Martigues), Mehdi Ballouchy (Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, NY Red Bull, Vancouver Whitecaps, SJ Earthquakes, New York FC), Mykell Bates (Toronto FC), Ryan Cochrane (SJ Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, NE Revolution), Hector Guzman (Houston Dynamo), Matt Hatzke (SJ Earthquakes), Erik Hurtado (Vancouver Whitecaps, KC Wizards), Amaechi Igwe (NE Revolution, FC Ingolstadt), Peter Lowry (Chicago Fire, Portland Timbers), Matt Marquess (KC Wizards), Carlos Montes (Mosta FC, Gzira United), Jide Ogunbiyi (NY Red Bull, Viborg FF), Max Ornstil (Portland Timbers), Jamil Roberts (SJ Earthquakes), Erik Ustruck (Houston Dynamo), and Brandon Zimmerman (Philadelphia Union).

As an athlete at Santa Clara University, Johnson is listed in the record books for both the university, as well as the West Coast Conference. He is listed in the WCC record books twice for having the best goals against average (1999, 2001) and the most shutouts (1999, 2000) in the conference. In the SCU record books, Johnson holds the all-time record for most saves during the playoffs (19) and most saves in a playoff game (1999 vs. Stanford, 9 saves). 

Johnson’s career totals place him second all time for career shutouts (23.5), fifth all-time for goals against average (.79), fifth all-time for career saves (164), and fourth in shutouts in a single season (10.5). He was an all-WCC selection three times, and a pre-season All-American in 2000. 

He was instrumental in helping to make two back-to-back College Cup appearances in 1998 and 1999, playing in a national championship game on December 12, 1999. The Broncos fell to the Hoosiers 1-0 in that game, but this would solidify his selection as an assistant coach upon graduation.

Johnson earned a master’s degree in Physical Education from Fresno Pacific University and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University. 

In addition to teaching full-time at De Anza in the Physical Education & Athletics Division, he currently holds a USSF “B” license and helps with the De Anza Force Club in Cupertino.

He enjoys his current role working with elite athletes at the intercollegiate and club level, as well as helping his students to learn and apply fitness concepts to their daily lives in the classes that he teaches at the college. 

Johnson and his wife, Meghan Lowe Johnson, reside in San Jose.