Johnson signs with Shippensburg

LHS star runner claims two state titles, and four-time state runner-up

By Randy Arrington

LURAY, Oct. 3 — In a social media post earlier this week, Luray High School senior Davey Johnson announced that he has committed to the NCAA Division II Raiders of Shippensburg University for an athletic scholarship.

“I am beyond blessed and excited to announce my commitment to Shippensburg University track [and] cross country,” the Facebook post reads. “Proverbs 16:9 says: A man plans his way, but God directs his steps. This became very evident to me during the recruitment journey. It is almost every athlete’s dream to be able to compete at the highest level, and I was no different. I was fortunate to engage in the recruitment process with multiple standout NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III programs. Through a lot of prayer by myself, friends, and family, I was led to Shippensburg.”

To his credit, Johnson has claimed two state titles in track and field over the last two seasons — the 1600 meters in his sophomore season (4:28.68) and the 800 meters during his junior campaign, when the title also came with the milestone of breaking his father Paul’s 39-year record with a time of 1:55.82. The Bulldogs’ elite runner has earned all-state honors in both cross country and indoor track (winter) during his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons — including TWO state runner-up finishes in BOTH sports the last two seasons.

Johnson has set numerous school and course records along the way. He routinely competes in national and regional running invitationals with names like “Nike” or “Adidas” in the official title, where he caught the eye of Olympic marathoner and World Championships marathon bronze medalist Steve Spence.

“It is an honor to be able to run for Coach Steve Spence considering his reputation as one of America’s running greats and to be a part of a program that dominates year in and year out,” Johnson said of his decision to commit to Shippensburg. “I want to thank everybody who has helped me along this journey (teammates, coaches, doctors, friends, family, teachers, and many others).”

Shippensburg University sits just west of I-81 in southern Pennsylvania and had an undergraduate enrollment of 4,421 in the fall of 2023. The Raiders compete in the NCAA Division II Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

In the fall of 2025, Johnson will be joining a men’s cross country roster that currently carries 13 runners, only two of which are either a senior or graduate student this year. He takes with him — thus far, with his senior campaign to go — two district titles, two region titles, and two state runner-up finishes all in cross country alone.

“I want to thank Coach Spence and the other coaches at Shippensburg for this opportunity,” Johnson stated in his social media post. “I can’t wait for the next 4!”

Johnson will have an opportunity to learn under the 18-time PSAC Coach of the Year, who has “tutored nearly 100 All-Americans in track & field and 18 All-Americans in cross country at Shippensburg University,” according to the SU website. Spence is a 1985 graduate of Shippensburg, who is now in his 27th season of coaching the Raiders in cross country. He also serves as an assistant coach in track and field.

“Among the distinguished distance runners he has mentored are Randy Lowe, who won the 10K outdoor national championship in 1992, Emily Budnyk, the national runner-up at the 10K outdoor national championship in 1999, Mary Dell, the national runner-up in the 3K steeplechase in 2010, and daughter Neely Spence, a four-time national champion in the 5K and two-time national cross country champion,” the website continues. “He has also coached four national championship indoor distance medley relay squads, winning both the men’s and women’s titles in 2011, and helped mentor Brayden Burleigh – the 2014 NCAA Division II indoor champion in the mile.”

To learn more about men’s cross country at Shippensburg University, click HERE.

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