Bay College names inaugural athletics director

ESCANABA — Bay College is starting their athletics program in 2017 and they have found the person who will run the show.

Matt Johnson has been hired to serve as Director of Athletics, as well as the head coach of the men’s basketball team. Johnson brings over 11 years of coaching and athletics management experience, but even knows how big this challenge is going to be.

“I’m somebody who is pretty self–driven and want to be successful in whatever I do. And those are the type of student–athletes we want to recruit to campus as well. It’s just an exciting time, as daunting as it may be. It’s exciting more than anything. I think the outcome is going to greatly outweigh the amount of work that has to go into it to kind of set the foundation,” said Johnson.

Johnson is a native Yooper as he is a graduate of Gladstone High School. He says it means the world for him to be able to be back in the local athletics scene.

“It’s just a dream come true to be able to be back in the Gladstone–Escanaba area, and to continue working with college athletes. It’s exciting. I can’t state that enough. It’s just a great opportunity for us. I think it’s going to be a phenomenal opportunity for graduating high school kids around our area and it’s going to be a nice, exciting, energetic time to be on campus at Bay,” Johnson said.

Next on the agenda for Bay College is deciding on a team name which should be announced in August.