Erica Johnson competes in an event for the University of Maine at Farmington. In her time at UMF, Johnson set numerous school records, including multiple hurdles events. (Courtesy photo)
Track and field was never supposed to be Erica Johnson’s future. What started as a backup plan after gymnastics for the Nobleboro native turned into a college career filled with broken records, championships, injuries, and unforgettable memories.
“I just kind of fell into it,” Johnson said. “I think my dad helped because he knows some people who are like coaches and stuff, so (he) suggested that and I kind of fell in love.”
Johnson first discovered track in sixth grade after her gymnastics program shut down. Nobleboro Central School didn’t have its own track program, so Johnson competed through Great Salt Bay Community School in Damariscotta and quickly found a love for the sport.
“Gymnastics was jumping, flipping, moving all around, so hurdles and jumps sounded close enough,” Johnson said.
In high school, she competed in triple jump, long jump, hurdles, and sprints. By freshman year, Johnson had already broken Lincoln Academy’s indoor triple jump record at 33-1.5.
“I wanted to break the school record before I was done there,” Johnson said. “I got it done my freshman year.”
During her senior year in spring 2022, Johnson won a state title in triple jump by jumping 34-7 and qualified for New Englands.
Johnson’s commitment to University of Maine at Farmington turned into one of the most successful athletic careers the program has seen. She finished her collegiate career holding 10 school records across multiple events, including triple jump, hurdles, relays, long jump, and pole vault and qualified for New Englands every year at UMF.
Johnson also competed for the university’s field hockey team for a season before focusing on track and field. When Johnson arrived at UMF, she realized the college level was very different from high school. Training became more technical, focused, and demanding by breaking each event down into pieces.
“My coach basically taught the event from scratch,” Johnson said.
UMF track and field head coach Sean Cabaniss played a major role in Johnson’s development as an athlete, she said. He broke down every phase of the triple jump and helped her improve both physically and mentally.
Through her four collegiate seasons, Johnson set indoor school records in long jump (5.32 meters), triple jump (10.92m), pole vault (2.35m), 60-meter hurdles (9.26 seconds), and as a member of the 4×200 relay team (1:51.43).
In the outdoor track season, she continued to set school records in the 100-meter dash (12.64), triple jump (11.07m), pole vault (2.40m), 100-meter hurdles (16.17), and the 4×100 relay (51.16).
Among her top collegiate performances through her junior year were personal records of 7.60 seconds in the 55-meter dash, 8.13 in the 60, 12.64 in the 100, 27.67 in the 200, 9.50 in the 55 hurdles, 9.26 in the 60 hurdles, and 16.17 in the 100 hurdles.
She posted marks of 2.40 meters in pole vault, 5.32 meters in long jump, 11.07 meters in triple jump, and 7.02 meters in shot put.
One of Johnson’s biggest accomplishments came in the hurdles. She worked with UMF’s coaching staff to change her technique, which led to her becoming a school record holder in both of the hurdle events.
Johnson also fulfilled a longtime goal by adding pole vault to her list of records. She had always wanted to try the event, but was unable to in high school. Once she was given the opportunity at UMF, she quickly became the program’s record holder.
One of Johnson’s favorite memories from her collegiate career came during her junior season when the University of Maine at Farmington’s track team made history. Despite cold temperatures and rainy weather, UMF team members stayed focused and pushed themselves. Johnson said that while other teams tried to find shelter and warmth from the weather, the Beavers embraced it and stayed active throughout the meet.
Erica Johnson, of Nobleboro, graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington in May. Throughout her collegiate athletic career, Johnson set school records in numerous events including pole vault, 60m and 100m hurdles, and the triple jump. (Gabby Vincentsen photo)
“We used the rain at our advantage,” Johnson said. “You looked out at the track that day and the only athletes you saw on the track that weren’t competing were Farmington athletes.”
The championship came down to the two final events. A discus throw earned points but the outcome wasn’t decided until the final relay. When the scores were all put together the Beavers found out they won the conference title by only 2 points.
“We were not supposed to win,” Johnson said. “We just outworked everybody that day.”
The victory marked a milestone for the program, as it was the first time in program history that the women’s team won the conference championship, as well as the first time men’s and women’s won it at the same time.
“It was literally a movie,” Johnson said. “We were all crying for the rest of the day. It was a dream.”
Johnson’s greatest individual accomplishment happened during her final season, though it almost didn’t happen at all. Battling injuries for most of the year, Johnson was sidelined for almost two months with a painful hamstring and knee issue that left her questioning whether she could continue competing.
“I competed through the pain for a couple of weeks, but then we looked at my numbers and we found that I was getting slower and not jumping as far so I had to take a break,” Johnson said. After weeks of recovery she was finally able to move without pain, but she had barely trained. Even so, she didn’t let her confidence waver and still held onto one goal she had dreamed about since high school: jumping 11 meters in triple jump.
“We called it the ‘Couch to 11,’” Johnson said with a laugh. Johnson only recorded two legal triple jump marks during her final outdoor season. Both made the 11 meter mark.
“I ended it on the highest note I could have thought of,” she said.
The relationships she built with teammates became some of the most meaningful parts of her college experience, Johnson said. It started as an individual sport and eventually became a second family.
“It was definitely like a family,” Johnson said. “We just couldn’t get away from each other.”
Having graduated in May with a degree in computer science and a minor in data analysis, Johnson is now trying to figure out life after college athletics. That said, she’s not fully ready to step away from the sport. Whether it be through coaching, open meets, or future competitions, she hopes to stay connected to the sport that helped shape her into who she is today.
“I’m not done with track,” Johnson said.
