BEREA, Ohio -- When you first see Baldwin Wallace University senior NCAA Division III All-American Kevin Johnson on Tressel Field or The George Finnie Stadium track, you see an incredible athlete who excels at everything he puts his mind too. But what a lot of people don't see from "K.J." is how hard he works and the outstanding leadership he displays behind the scenes.

Johnson has an incredible work ethic and he works hard to get better every single day. He puts a lot of time and effort into making his fellow teammates feel comfortable and a part of the team. He also works very hard to help push his teammates to become better as well. He is hoping that hard work and leadership will play dividends this weekend when BW hosts the 2014 Ohio Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship Meet at The George Finnie Stadium on Aril 25-26.

"Kevin is a joy to coach and know," said13th-year head football coach John Snell. "K.J. is a real team leader who carries his emotions on his sleeve so to speak. He is a tremendous athlete with God-gifted ability who works extremely hard to get the most out of his talents. He will be one of the best all-around athletes in BW history.

"What's even more impressive is his leadership ability," continued Snell. "He is a continuous leader both on and off the field and constantly looking for ways to lead by-example. If he's not in the game, he's cheering on his teammates. When someone is having a bad game or day, he sits and listens. Kevin is a great example of a talented Division III student-athlete who goes above-and-byond the call-of-duty to try to make himself and his team better."

Johnson's love for sports and competition began as a youngster and continued when he was in high school. While at national high school powerhouse St. Ignatius, Johnson competed in football and track. He played four seasons of football and earned three varsity letters and ran track for four years and earned four more letters. He helped to lead the Wildcats to the OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) Division I State Playoffs in football and competed at the OHSAA Division I State Track Meet.

Following graduation, Johnson had hoped for an NCAA Division I scholarship but settled on Baldwin Wallace. It was a match made in heaven.

"Getting Kevin at BW was great for both programs [football and track]," said 29-year veteran Yellow Jacket track and cross country coach Dr. Bill Taraschke. "We knew the day he enrolled at BW that we had a very gifted young man who had the talent and ability to help both teams. Four years later, John [Snell] and I still feel the same way."

During his four years at BW, Johnson had earned four varsity letters in each sport and distinguished himself as one of the best in the country at his specialty.

In football, Johnson played cornerback, wide receiver, running back at times and was one of the nation's best kickoff return specialists for four years. In track, he is one of the top sprinters in Division III. He earned Division III All-America honors by placing eighth in the 60-meter dash at the 2014 NCAA Div. III National Indoor Championship Meet in March.

On the football field, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets to a 28-12 four-year record. As a cornerback, he made 57 career tackles, had one intercetion and 15 pass breakups. At wide receiver, he caught 37 passes for 662 yards and nine touchdowns. But he was most known for returning 57 kickoffs for 1,427 yards with a 24.5-yard career average and two touchdowns.

One of his TD returns occurred when he was a freshman in a 35-34 victory against Otterbein University on Homecoming. For his efforts, K.J. set a Finnie Stadium record with 135 return yards that day, and his 94-yard TD return tied a Finnie Stadium mark. He was subsequently named as the Frank Ropollo Homecoming Player of the Game and received the first of his three OAC Player of the Week awards. He also returned a kick for a TD as a junior en route to his second OAC Player of the Week honor.

In track, Johnson has always been an exceptional sprinter but has really blossomed as a senior to be one of the best in Division III.

Indoors this winter, he set BW school records individually in the 55-meter dash (6.31 seconds), 60-meter dash (6.86 seconds) and 200-meter (22.23 seconds) dashes and as a member of the 4 x 200-meter relay team (1:20.18). He culminated that season by earning All-America honors.

This spring, Johnson has been dominant. He is currently ranked third individually in Division III in the 100-meter dash (10.53 seconds)and third in the 200 meters (21,25 seconds), and the 4 x 100-meter relay team of Johnson, sophomore Ben Beidleman (Washington, D.C.) and freshmen Troy Robinson (Akron/ Garfield) and Otis Conel (Ashtabula/ Lakeside) is ranked third (41.27 seconds).

At the annual All-Ohio Championship Meet, he won the 100 and 200 dashes and helped the relay team finish first. He earned his third OAC Player of the Week award for his efforts. In the 100-meter final, Johnson ran a 10.39 timing, which would have been the second fastest time in school history, but a 4.1 mile per hour wind made his time wind-aided. It would have been the best 100-meter time at the school since four-time Olympic gold medalist Harrison Dilliard had a 10.30-second timing in 1948.

"I am extremely proud of breaking all of the indoor records and earning Division III All-Ameruica honors this winter," said Johnson with his patented big, beaming smile. "And, I am hoping to end my career by helping lead the team to an OAC title and then earning All-America honors and a national title at the outdoor national meet."

But setting records is not Johnson's biggest attribute. His biggest and best attribute is his leadership and constant encouragement.

At the beginning of each football or track season, Johnson makes a special effort to get t know and remember everyone's name. Doing that is a full time job when you consider the size of the two teams.

"When I was a freshman, I was very shy coming into my first college football season," said the author of this article, junior Ben Leohr (Medina). "We play two completely different positions, and our paths usually only crossed at team meetings and at practice., but Kevin went out of his way to introduce himself to me and some other first-year players and made us feel very comfortable. He also asked me to hang out with him and some other players from time to time. Also on the track team, Kevin hosts movie night and team dinners to help the team bond and prepare for a big meet or relax after one."

During his four years at BW, Johnson has had many things go his way, but his biggest obstacle continues to be injury. And, he handles injury the same way he handles everything else in life -- by moving straight forward and confronting the situation.

"The biggest obstacle is definitely injury, and it can happen at any time," said Johnson, who has suffered two nagging pulled hamstring injuries. "But as an athlete, you just have to fight through the pain. You have to continue to train hard to get better each day but at the same time trying to heal the hamstring."

Following graduation, Johnson intends to teach health and physical education and coach young athletes.

"I want to teach physical education and coach track," said Johnson. "I want to teach health and physical education at the elementary level from grades kindergarden through fifth grade.

"It is an opportunity for me to help mold young minds," continued Johnson. "I want to teach young children the importance of health and being active, and I want to coach track the high school level (ninth to 12th grade). It is a passion to continue to help others improve and a way for me to stay embraced to one of the sports that I love."

And, just because Johnson is completing his senior year of college and will graduate, don't think his career is complete!

"I will continue to have a passion for running and competition for many years to come," said Johnson. "After college, I hope to continue to compete and see what else I can accomplish."

Johnson will have a few more weeks to think about that as following this weekend's OAC Championship Meet, he will have four full week to wait before competing at the 2014 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track& Field Championship Meet at Ohio Wesleyan University from May 22-24 in Delaware, Ohio.

"It would be great to be able to run in my home state and win a national title," said a proud Johnson. "It has been a great experience coming to BW and playing football and running track. I have metso many great people who will be lifelong friend. Winning a national title would be the ending of a fun college career."

It would be the end of a great college career of competition and leadership, and the beginning of a great high school coaching career.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.