FAYETTEVILLE — Legendary coach Lance Harter, who has led Arkansas’ women’s track and field program to six national championships, will retire in June 2023, the UA announced Tuesday.
Long-time assistant coach Chris Johnson, who is in his 11th season with the Razorbacks, has been named the head coach in waiting and will take the reins on July 1, 2023.
“I’m super excited about the opportunity to have Chris Johnson take the reins as the head coach when I step down from that role,” Harter said in a statement. “He will keep the philosophy and the winning formula that we have established in years past.”
Now in his 32nd season at Arkansas, Harter has built Arkansas into one of the best women’s track and field programs in the country. His six national titles - three indoor, two outdoor and one cross country - include a Triple Crown in 2019, just the second ever in the sport.
In addition to that success, Harter has won 42 conference titles, including seven SEC Triple Crowns. His most recent title came in cross country this past weekend, marking the ninth straight year Arkansas has won the SEC cross country championship.
He is a member of the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame, UA Sports Hall of Honor and Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Harter’s successor, Johnson, is one of the top assistant coaches in the country. He has been named the NCAA Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year three times and won Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors 12 times - six at Penn State and three at Arkansas.
“Being able to stay at the University of Arkansas means a lot,” Johnson said in a statement. “Obviously, it’s the best, if not one of the best, programs in the country as it pertains to track and field, so to be able to be a head coach at the University of Arkansas is the pinnacle. To be entrusted with the program and continue to move the program forward, I couldn’t dream of anything better.”
