St. Thomas women’s hockey coach Joel Johnson resigned Tuesday after what the university described as an unspecified “incident” last weekend in Bemidji.
Johnson coached the first game of the team’s series against Bemidji State but wasn’t present for the second game on Saturday, according to a statement from director of athletics Phil Esten.
“While I cannot comment on the specifics of the incident itself, I can confirm we immediately started an investigation after concerns were brought to our attention following Friday night’s game,” Esten said in a statement from the athletic department.
“We hold all our coaches to the highest standards consistent with university values and convictions, and prioritize the experience and well-being of our student-athletes.”
Assistant coach Bethany Brausen was named interim head coach. The team is 5-8-1 overall and 2-7-1 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play. Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Crest.
The athletic department declined further comment and did not make the coaching staff available for interview.
By the time the athletic department announced Johnson’s resignation Tuesday, his biography had been removed from the athletic department website, and his nameplate removed from the directory outside the athletic department offices.
Johnson was in his fourth season and had been coaching since the Tommies began Division I competition. He ended his time with a 28-88-4 record.
Johnson also spent eleven years with U.S. Hockey and coached the silver-medal women’s hockey team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Prior to St. Thomas, he was associate head coach for the University of Minnesota women’s program.
Brausen also joined the team for the inaugural D-I season. She played for the Gophers from 2010-14 and was an assistant coach since the 2016-17 season.
This is a developing story.
Adam Mueller can be reached at muel7541@stthomas.edu.