by Cliff Mehrtens

Ron Johnson, Davidson Day’s boys basketball coach and the school’s Dean of Student Life, resigned to become an assistant basketball coach at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

His last day will be Friday, April 13. He’ll begin at Marist on Wednesday, April 18.

Johnson’s teams were 75-21 in his three seasons at Davidson Day, and all three reached the state playoffs. His most recent team won a conference championship, and advanced to the state championship game, where it lost to Northside Christian. The Patriots (31-4) set a school record for victories last season.

During Johnson’s coaching stint, 13 Davidson Day players advanced to play college basketball, including five at the NCAA Division I level.

“My three years at Davidson Day have been some of the most rewarding years I’ve had as an educator and coach,” Johnson said in a letter to Bonnie Cotter,  Davidson Day’s Head of School.

“The progress that we have been able to make as a total college preparatory independent school has been remarkable. The relationships that I have been able to form with students, parents and colleagues will be ones that I will cherish forever.”

“I am especially grateful to the student-athletes who I was fortunate enough to coach.

What that group has been able to build over the past three years is incredible. Their commitment to Davidson Day School, academics, basketball, each other, and to our basketball staff provides a great example of all that is right about high school athletics. Those guys will forever be a part of me.”

Cotter said Davidson Day will begin a national search for a new Dean of Student Life and boys basketball coach.

Before Davidson Day, Johnson was program coordinator for the University of Georgia men’s basketball team (2008-09).  Johnson was the athletics director and boys basketball coach at Concord Cannon School (2004-08), and won a state championship in 2006. He also coached at two high schools in Florida.