Belmont University women’s basketball leader Bart Brooks appointed Nyla Johnson as the program’s newest assistant coach as announced on Monday, May 13, 2024. Johnson, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, joined the Bruins’ experienced coaching staff after serving as head coach at NCAA Division III Birmingham-Southern College during the 2023-24 academic year.
With a wide range of experience as an assistant coach at the Division I, junior college and high school levels, Johnson aids Belmont in a variety of areas. Her responsibilities include both coaching and basketball operations duties.
Prior to taking over the Birmingham-Southern program, Johnson was the recruiting coordinator at Alabama A&M where she helped lead the Bulldogs to a 12-6 conference record and a second-place tie in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2022-23. Johnson also served as a graduate assistant and assistant coach at Alabama A&M for three seasons from 2017-20.
Following her first stay at Alabama A&M, Johnson spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Temple College in Temple, Texas, from 2020-22 where she helped the Lady Leopards to consecutive top-three finishes in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference. Additionally, Johnson coached two Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) junior college All-Americans.
Johnson began her coaching career as a student assistant for the 2015-16 season at her alma mater, Faulkner University, in Montgomery, Alabama. Upon graduating, Johnson was an assistant coach for the 2016-17 season at Madison Academy where she was a standout all-state player. With Johnson on the sideline, Madison Academy won the 2017 Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Class 4A state championship.
A four-year letter winner at Faulkner (2011-15), Johnson finished in the top 10 in school history in both scoring and rebounding. The guard helped lead the Lady Eagles to a conference championship and the second round of the NAIA National Tournament as a sophomore. Johnson was named freshman of the year in 2012 and earned the champion of character award in 2015.
During her prep career at Madison Academy, Johnson was a three-time all-state selection and led her squad to a Class 3A state title in 2011.
Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in clinical, counseling and applied psychology from Faulkner in 2016 before receiving her Master of Education (MEd) degree from Alabama A&M in 2020.
Nyla is the sister of Belmont men’s basketball hall of famer and assistant coach, Kerron Johnson (‘13), and former Detroit Lion, Kerryon Johnson.
