Virginia Tech fires Johnson

Virginia Tech fired coach James Johnson on Monday.

The Hokies finished the season 9-22 overall and 2-16 in the ACC under Johnson, who spent just two seasons as coach.

Virginia Tech finished last in conference play for the third straight season. The Hokies’ season ended with a loss to Miami in the first round of the ACC tournament.

Johnson went 6-32 against ACC teams in his two seasons as Virginia Tech’s coach.

After the 2011-12 season, Johnson left his job as West Virginia’s associate head coach under Seth Greenberg for the same position at Clemson. Then-Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver fired Greenberg and offered the job to Johnson. Whit Babcock replaced Weaver as AD after he retired Feb. 17.

“I want to thank Coach Johnson for his dedication and hard work for our university and our basketball program over the past seven years,” Babcock said in a release. “A change of this significance affects many people and is never taken lightly, but I felt a change and a new direction was necessary for the long term, best interest of our department.”

Babcock said the school will immediately begin a nationwide search for a new coach.