The Volts were knocked out of the semifinal hunt at the Champions League in India without picking up a bat when the Mumbai Indians smashed the Perth Scorchers in Delhi.
Both teams finished pool play on 10 points but Mumbai goes through as it had the superior run rate.
Johnson said the Volts had over-achieved and had created some excitement for the whole of Otago.
''We knew what this tournament was about as we had been here a few years ago.
''But we have exceeded what everyone thought we were going to do,'' he said.
''We won the qualifiers three-zip and then won the first game and then the super over match, which was huge for us. It was great for the whole of Otago and had plenty of people on the edge of their seats.
''It's been a great ride for us.''
Johnson said the players were down after the Indians' victory, and it was a long day waiting around to watch the match.
The team will leave for all corners of the globe, the New Zealand internationals heading to Bangladesh to join up with the Black Caps and overseas players heading back to their bases.
The other players are expected back in Dunedin tomorrow afternoon.
Johnson said no offers for Otago players had come from overseas teams but he expected, once the dust had settled, some players would be tapped on the shoulder.
All-rounder James Neesham was one who stood out and Johnson said he had shown some of his potential.
Three of the four semifinalists are from India and Johnson said playing at home and on their own wickets and conditions helped them.
He also said the Mumbai team had the advantage of playing the last game, knowing exactly what it had to do to qualify, but that was nothing major.
The players will have a couple of days off when they get back and will then switch into four-day mode with a warm-up match in Rangiora against Canterbury on October 13.
Johnson had been thinking of the season ahead when in India and was excited about it.
''If you can put on the park the likes of [Jesse] Ryder, [Aaron] Redmond, [Michael] Bracewell, Neesham, [Ryan] ten Doeschate, the rest of them, then you are going to have a quality side.
"That is the next challenge for these guys.''
The Otago side watched yesterday's match together in its hotel. The Indians were required to chase down a target of 150 set by the Perth Scorchers, and needed to do it within 14.2 overs.
They did the job, with six balls to spare. With the likes of West Indians Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard in the side, the Indians had plenty of firepower, and were just 33 short of the target after 10 overs.
Pollard hit a couple of big blows to get them nearer the target but gave the Indians' fans some worry when he was dismissed with the target in sight.
But Ambati Rayudu soon calmed the nerves and slammed two massive sixes to win the game for his side.
In the semifinals, which begin early tomorrow, the Rajasthan Royals take on the Chennai Super Kings, while the Mumbai Indians play West Indian side Trinidad and Tobago. The final is to be played on Monday.
