Cal Tennis Alum Campbell Johnson Passes Away

BERKELEY – California men's tennis alumnus Campbell Johnson, who twice helped lead the Golden Bears to the NCAA Tournament round of 16, passed away on Monday in the San Diego area. Johnson, who was 28, completed his collegiate playing career in 2014 and served as an undergraduate assistant coach for the Bears for the 2014-15 season.
 
A Celebration of Life memorial for Johnson will take place on Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Torrey Pines Gliderport located at 800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive in La Jolla. To watch the service, click here, and visit this page for more information. Donations in Campbell Johnson's memory can be made to Cal Tennis by clicking here.

"If you knew Campbell, he was your friend," said Peter Wright, Cal's Director of Men's Tennis. "His positive energy, his smile and his ability to connect on a positive level with his friends made him one of the guys you wanted to be around. He seemed to be surrounded by an aura of positive energy, and he always had an easy-going style.
 
"When it was match time, he sent boundless waves of energy to his teammates, and he fought for the team and for his teammates with everything he had. And he always did it with class. He held himself to the highest standards, and he urged his teammates to do the same. He was smart, but he never took himself too seriously. He was always busy lifting everyone around him."
 
"Campbell's zest for life was unrivaled," said Wyatt Houghton, Johnson's former Cal teammate. "He taught us so much about how to be present and enjoy the little things. He never sweat the small stuff and always had an eye for what was most important in life. C.J. lived life large, and for those that were lucky enough to know him, we got to experience endless laughter, smiles and positivity."
 
A product of Rancho Santa Fe, Johnson began his college career at Georgia, playing two years for the Bulldogs before joining Cal for the 2012-13 season.
 
In his first year in Berkeley, Johnson and doubles partner Christoffer Konigsfeldt earned the Pac-12 Doubles Team of the Year honor and a No. 32 final ranking after the duo reached the NCAA Doubles Championship round of 32. Johnson also competed in the 2013 NCAA Singles Championship and finished with a No. 64 national ranking.
 
In his final season, Johnson won the singles crown at the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional Championships to qualify for the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships in New York, where he advanced to the round of 16. He was an integral member of the squad, defeating the 100th-ranked Hugo Dojas, 6-3, 6-2, in Cal's 4-0 win over Texas Tech in the NCAA first round and beating No. 22 Shane Vinsant, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, to clinch No. 17 Cal's 4-3 win over No. 10 Texas A&M in the second round. Johnson closed out his senior season with a No. 76 singles ranking.
 
"Campbell, we miss you and your dance moves," Houghton added. "Your infectious personality will live on through all who came across your path. Rest in paradise, bud."