Coaching Staff

Sara Johnson, Head Coach

Johnson, Wartburg's first full-time women's soccer coach, has been part of a 49-9-5 record over the past three seasons as an assistant coach for the Knights. That run includes an NCAA Division III national tournament berth and Sweet 16 appearance as part of a school-record 18-win season in 2007, an Iowa Conference championship in 2008, and a top 10 national and No. 2 regional ranking in 2009.

She previously served as a head coach for the Wheaton (Illinois) Academy High School junior varsity team in the spring of 2006 and 2007. Johnson also starred on the pitch as a player for the Wheaton College Thunder program. She was captain of the 2004 NCAA Division III national championship team and earned all-National Soccer Coaches Association of America all-region honors in 2003 and 2004 and was a Collegiate Conference of Wisconsin and Illinois all-league honoree in 2003 and 2004 as well as being the conference's Player of the Year in 2003.

"I am extremely excited about the possibilities this program has," Johnson said. "Wartburg has been able to have some great student-athletes represent its women's program over the past several seasons. We're hoping to have that continue and also raise the bar along conference, regional and national levels."

Johnson earned her bachelor's degree at Wheaton College of Illinois in the spring of 2005.

Josh Sanderson , Assistant coach

Sanderson, who was an assistant for the men's program in 2009 and will remain in that role, is in his first year with the women's program. While at Wartburg, he helped guide the Knights' men's program to an Iowa Conference tournament title and NCAA Division III national tournament appearance in 2009.

Prior to arriving in Waverly, Sanderson was a graduate assistant at NCAA Division II Bemidji State University of Minnesota from 2007-09. He was also a volunteer assistant at North Dakota State University in 2006-07. Sanderson earned his bachelor's degree from NDSU in December of 2005 and his master's degree from Bemidji State in May of 2009.