Coaching Staff

T.J. Buchholz, Head Coach
Career record: 38-15-5

Buchholz, Wartburg's second full-time men's and women's soccer coach, guided the Knights to their sixth consecutive NCAA Division III men's national tournament appearance and the Iowa Conference's postseason tournament title and led the women to the program's first-ever IIAC title in 2008. Prior to arriving in Waverly, Buchholz was at the helm of Northwestern (Iowa) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Great Plains Athletic Conference. During his tenure, the Red Raiders produced four of the program's most successful men's seasons in school history in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007 with the squad winning 10-or-matches each time. His overall record with the men's program was 68-59-4 and included a Great Plains Athletic Conference championship in 2004 and an NAIA Region III tournament title and national tournament berth last fall. He took the reigns of Northwestern's women's program last fall, guiding the 2007 team to seven wins.

Before serving his alma mater as head coach of the men's and women's programs, Buchholz was Northwestern's assistant men's coach in 2000 after graduating from NWC in 1999 and was the campus' director of security from 2004-07. He was a member of Northwestern's soccer team from 1995-98, earning all-conference honors his senior year as well as the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player Award.

T.J., who recently concluded a master's degree in sports management at California University of Pennsylvania, his wife, Candace, and daughters, Chloe and Season, reside in Denver, Iowa.

Sara Johnson, Assistant coach

Johnson, the captain of the 2004 NCAA Division III national championship team at Wheaton College of Illinois, completed her second year with the Wartburg women's soccer program in 2008.

Prior to arriving in Waverly, Johnson served as head junior varsity coach at Wheaton (Ill.) Academy High School during the 2006-07 academic year. She had also been a counselor for various Athletes in Action summer camps in British Columbia, Canada, while playing with the Fraser Valley Action FC team in 2003.

Besides the 2004 national championship, Johnson’s collegiate playing career was highlighted with all-region honors in 2003 and 2004, the Collegiate Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Player of the Year award in 2003, all-CCIW honors in 2003 and 2004, and an Ohio Valley Conference all-league honor in 2001 when she attended Eastern Illinois University.