Assistant coach Brian "BJ" Johnson

Brian "BJ" Johnson was tabbed by RSL Head Coach John Ellinger for his first professional coaching opportunity after spending the last two seasons as an assistant with The Ohio State University men's soccer team. Johnson, a native of Livermore, Calif., who starred at Fresno State University, recently completed his B.S. degree in Liberal Studies at Ohio State.

In four seasons at Fresno State University, Johnson collected 30 points on six goals and 18 assists as the first U.S. youth national team player signed by Fresno State. As a senior and captain, he was a third-team All-America selection as well as a first-team All-Far West Region and All-Western Athletic Conference honoree for helping to lead his team to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. Overall, his career at Fresno State included three all-league selections, an All-America selection and two conference championships.

Johnson's Major League Soccer career began as an inaugural 1996 draft pick of the Kansas City Wizards. In five years with the club, he appeared in 67 games, starting 34 and notching a goal and eight assists in 3,413 minutes. Johnson's career culminated in being a part of the Wizards' 2000 MLS Cup Championship team. He and his wife, Ashley, have one child, daughter Hayley.