La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University men's basketball coach Wayne Wagner announced today that Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School standout Chris Johnson (Galesville, Wis.) has signed a letter of intent to play for the V-Hawks in 2012.

"In choosing a college, I was looking for a school with a quality academic reputation, a place where I felt comfortable and an atmosphere that fit me and Viterbo University provided all three of these factors," commented Johnson. "Viterbo is a very strong academic institution that is widely known and I am looking forward to furthering my knowledge at such a prestigious institution."

Johnson joins the V-Hawks after being a starter for GET's WIAA State Championship Runner-up team. A 6'5" forward, Johnson averaged 12 points and 5 rebounds per game as a senior and was named a first team all-conference selection. He was also selected to play in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division Three All-Star game in early June. A team captain, Johnson was also named to the La Crosse Tribune All-Area Third Team.

"We are very excited to have Chris joining the Viterbo Basketball family, commented Coach Wagner. "He is a quality person, student, and athlete that comes from a rock solid, hardworking background from his family and the GET program. He was a key component as an interior presence on one of the top teams in the state, and I really see Chris accentuating his overall abilities as a player as he grows in our program."

Johnson has not only had success on the basketball court but also in football, track and field, and in the classroom. For his success in the classroom, Johnson was named a Coulee Conference Scholar athlete and a four year Academic Letter winner. A National Honor Society member, Johnson will pursue a degree in math and physics at Viterbo University.

"When I took my campus tour at Viterbo, Coach Wagner spoke about the V-Hawk program and he made me feel that the school was not only a strong academic university, but it also has a very strong support for athletics," stated Johnson. "This made me feel Viterbo was the perfect fit for me and I am very excited to building new relationships with my teammates on and off the court."