Chris Johnston enters his 5^th season as the head men’s basketball coach at Jackson College.

In his first year at the helm, Johnston guided the Jets to a 16–12 record and a fifth-place finish in conference play, earning a berth in the postseason tournament. “Building a quality program from top to bottom takes time but at the JUCO level, there isn’t a lot of time to do that so there is a big emphasis on bringing in good student athletes.

The Jets’ success has extended beyond basketball, with several players earning Dean’s List honors and MCCAA academic honors. “Our guys are driven not only to compete on the floor but also to excel academically,”

Before taking over the men’s program, Johnston served as an assistant coach for the Jackson College women’s basketball team from 2019–2021. He has more than 26 years of coaching experience overall, including 19 years as a varsity head coach.

A graduate of Oakland Community College, Johnston also attended the Flint Regional Police Academy and served in law enforcement for over two decades.  Currently, he is the Superintendent at Polo Fields Country Club in Ann Arbor. When he’s not coaching or in the gym, he enjoys golfing and fishing.

A native of Morenci, Michigan, Johnston has been married to his wife, Jo Dee, for 22 years. The couple resides in Jackson and has two sons, Cooper (20) and Sutton (18).