Dr. Quincy Johnson ‘16 is being recognized by Midland University with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Johnson will be honored during the Alumni & Legacy Banquet Sunday, October 22nd at the Wikert Event Center.

Johnson currently serves as an assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kansas. “To be recognized by my alma mater for professional accomplishments and engagement to the university is one of my greatest achievements,” he said. “My interests in health & human performance, strength and conditioning, and sport science began at Midland University, so receiving this honor is definitely a full-circle moment.

“I’m so thankful for the support of my parents (Blake and Dorothy Johnson), my sister, Latrice, as well as extended family and friends, and exceptional mentors and colleagues.”

During his time at Midland, Johnson founded the Midland Powerlifting Club. From its humble beginnings, that included training in the wee hours of the morning in the Warrior weight room, Midland powerlifting has evolved into one of the elite programs in the country. “The success of the Midland powerlifting program has made me extremely proud, and it has been truly phenomenal to watch,” Johnson said. “From founding the program, to recruiting students and faculty to join, train, and eventually compete, the program has grown into everything that I hoped it would become.

“(Coach) Tim Anderson and his staff have done an outstanding job of establishing a standard of excellence that has propelled the team to new heights, and the athletes have committed to reaching their full potential and performing their best. President (Jody) Horner, members of the athletic department, and administration have also provided the support needed to give student-athletes the resources to prepare and complete while pursuing higher education.”

After graduating from Midland, Johnson earned his M.S. and PhD. in Health & Human Performance at Oklahoma State University. While at OSU, he worked in human performance through the athletics department and also worked at Stillwater Medical Center’s Cancer Optimizing Recovery Endeavor. His next venture led him to the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he was a professor of Health & Human Performance and also served as Director of Loper Performance. Johnson recently co-founded the Oklahoma State University Golf Research Innovation and Performance Center and also worked as Lead Program Coordinator for USA Basketball.

Johnson is grateful for his experiences at Midland that helped shape him for his future. “The education, mentorship, and support that I received while at Midland played an integral role in preparing me for a fulfilling and successful career,” he said. “I have been able to confidently apply what I have learned in both educational and applied settings. This has led to a career that has spanned nearly a decade now, allowing me to pursue my passion and provide me with opportunities to work with athletes spanning from youth to Olympic levels of sport.”