Basketball
Zach Johnson established Carleton’s all-time scoring record with 2,029 career points, ranking him 16th in Minnesota men’s collegiate basketball history (regardless of division) at the time. His 592 points during the 2008–09 season set a new Carleton single-season mark. He ranked 12th in Division III by averaging 22.8 points per game that season, the fifth-highest figure in team history. Johnson was the first Carleton player in 16 years to lead the MIAC in points per game (22.4 in conference games). For his accomplishments on the court, he received numerous awards. In 2009 Johnson was named to the D3hoops.com All-America Second Team, becoming only the fifth All-American in Carleton men’s basketball history. That same year, College Sporting News named him the MIAC’s “MVP” and “Player of the Year,” marking the first time in the publication’s history that CSN gave both honors to the same player. He garnered All-MIAC honorable mention as a rookie, then took home All-MIAC First-Team distinction the next three years. He was named to both the D3hoops.com All-West Region Team and the NABC All-West District Team in 2007–08 and again in 2008–09. His play helped the Knights advance to the postseason all four years, including the 2006 NCAA Championships, which was Carleton’s first-ever trip to the national tournament. Johnson was the first player in recorded school history to accumulate at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 250 assists for his career. He finished his time at Carleton with 584 boards, 264 assists, 147 steals, and 44 blocked shots. At the time he graduated, Johnson ranked fifth in school history for career steals, sixth in career scoring average (19.1 points) and total assists, and 12th in total rebounds. He also played one season as a member of the Carleton football team.
Following graduation, Johnson traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland, where he played professionally for the Fjolnir Basketball Club in 2009. He later returned to the Upper Midwest and served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Mary (NCAA Division II) while completing his MBA. An economics major at Carleton, Johnson currently works as a senior manager at Avelead in Independence, Mo.