In her fifth year as head coach for the Cyclones, Johnson-Lynch was named American Volleyball Coaches’ Association Central Region Coach of the Year. Her record-setting season also earned her the first Central Region Coach of the Year award of her career.
Johnson-Lynch led Iowa State to a 27-4 overall record this season, the best in school history. The 17 victories the Cyclones tallied in conference play was also an Iowa State record. Iowa State’s success this year also earned Johnson-Lynch the title of Big 12 Coach of the Year. Iowa State is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation and was chosen as the No.7 seed in the NCAA tournament this year. Johnson-Lynch’s success with the Cyclones this season earned Iowa State the ability to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. Even after sweeping through the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament this season, Johnson-Lynch was still ready to see improvement from her team.
“I continue to believe and know we can continue to do better and will do better,” Johnson-Lynch said following the victory over Wichita State.
The Cyclones swept George Mason in the first round of the tournament and turned around to beat Wichita State in three, and head to the Sweet Sixteen for the third year in a row. Advancing to regional play for the third consecutive year puts the Cyclones as one of only two other teams in the Big 12 to have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for three straight seasons.
Home attendance this season, and over the past five seasons with Johnson-Lynch has increased dramatically. This year the Cyclones broke the record for largest attendance at a college volleyball game in the state of Iowa with over 10,000 fans packed in Hilton Coliseum against Nebraska. Even after being swept by the Cornhuskers, fans applauded the effort of Johnson-Lynch and her Cyclones after their post-game huddle.
Johnson-Lynch has molded numerous players on the Cyclone roster into All-Big 12 First Team member, and even All-Americans. Junior libero Ashley Mass has been recognized consistently throughout the season as a Defensive Player of the Week and was chosen as the Big 12’s Libero of the Year both in 2008 and 2009. What Johnson-Lynch has done in her time at Iowa State with current senior setter Kaylee Manns is an accomplishment in itself. When Manns first entered into the Cyclone family, she may have been more of an athlete with natural talent than a Division I setter. Now, Manns is recognized as one of the nation’s top setters and was an AVCA Second-Team All-American selection in 2008.