Xavier University Athletics
Travis Steele Adds Former Minnesota Assistant Ben Johnson To His Basketball Staff
04.11.18 | Men's Basketball
Johnson coached at his alma mater for five seasons.
CINCINNATI --- Xavier University men's basketball head coach Travis Steele announced the addition of Ben Johnson as an assistant coach on his XU staff. Johnson spent the past five seasons from 2013-18 as an assistant at his alma mater, Minnesota.
"Ben is an outstanding coach and recruiter that will be a very successful head coach one day," said Steele. "Ben has spent the last five seasons at his alma mater and brings great experience developing perimeter players."
"It is a great honor to be joining the Xavier Musketeer family," said Johnson. "I am beyond excited to work with our current and future student-athletes and privileged to team with Coach Steele and staff to help Xavier basketball continue its path of excellence both on and off the court. Xavier has an unbelievable tradition. I cannot wait to get to work and continue to build this program at a championship level!"
Minnesota finished 25-13 and won the 2014 NIT Championship in Johnson's first season on the Golden Gopher staff. UM finished 24-10 and earned an NCAA Tournament berth in the 2016-17 season. Numerous Golden Gophers earned All BIG Ten honors during Johnson's time at UM, including four in 2017, including First Team selection Nate Mason, Third Team selection Jordan Murphy and Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Lynch.
Johnson returned to Minnesota in 2013 after spending the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska.
Prior to his role at Nebraska, Johnson spent four seasons on the staff at Northern Iowa from 2008-12. The Panthers went a combined 93-77 during that time, winning at least 20 games in all four seasons. The four-straight 20-win seasons marked the longest such stretch in program history, reaching postseason play in all four years, including a run to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2009-10. That year, UNI won a school-record 30 games and upset top-seeded Kansas in the second round. During his tenure at UNI, the Panthers boasted three First Team All-MVC selections, including 2010 Missouri Valley Conference MVP Adam Koch in 2010.
Prior to his stay at Northern Iowa, Johnson served as an assistant coach for two seasons at the University of Texas-Pan American. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Dayton during the 2005-06 season.
Johnson started his collegiate playing career at Northwestern and played two seasons before transferring to Minnesota to finish his career. He was a two-time captain at Minnesota and finished with 533 points in 59 games. He scored a total of 1,202 career points in his four seasons of collegiate basketball.
Johnson graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in sociology.
"Ben is an outstanding coach and recruiter that will be a very successful head coach one day," said Steele. "Ben has spent the last five seasons at his alma mater and brings great experience developing perimeter players."
"It is a great honor to be joining the Xavier Musketeer family," said Johnson. "I am beyond excited to work with our current and future student-athletes and privileged to team with Coach Steele and staff to help Xavier basketball continue its path of excellence both on and off the court. Xavier has an unbelievable tradition. I cannot wait to get to work and continue to build this program at a championship level!"
Minnesota finished 25-13 and won the 2014 NIT Championship in Johnson's first season on the Golden Gopher staff. UM finished 24-10 and earned an NCAA Tournament berth in the 2016-17 season. Numerous Golden Gophers earned All BIG Ten honors during Johnson's time at UM, including four in 2017, including First Team selection Nate Mason, Third Team selection Jordan Murphy and Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Lynch.
Johnson returned to Minnesota in 2013 after spending the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska.
Prior to his role at Nebraska, Johnson spent four seasons on the staff at Northern Iowa from 2008-12. The Panthers went a combined 93-77 during that time, winning at least 20 games in all four seasons. The four-straight 20-win seasons marked the longest such stretch in program history, reaching postseason play in all four years, including a run to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2009-10. That year, UNI won a school-record 30 games and upset top-seeded Kansas in the second round. During his tenure at UNI, the Panthers boasted three First Team All-MVC selections, including 2010 Missouri Valley Conference MVP Adam Koch in 2010.
Prior to his stay at Northern Iowa, Johnson served as an assistant coach for two seasons at the University of Texas-Pan American. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Dayton during the 2005-06 season.
Johnson started his collegiate playing career at Northwestern and played two seasons before transferring to Minnesota to finish his career. He was a two-time captain at Minnesota and finished with 533 points in 59 games. He scored a total of 1,202 career points in his four seasons of collegiate basketball.
Johnson graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in sociology.
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Pape N’Diaye
Thursday, August 21
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Malik Messina-Moore
Tuesday, August 19
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Filip Borovicanin
Thursday, August 14
2025-26 Meet the Musketeers: Kason Westphal
Tuesday, August 12