Johnston Selected to Lead Limestone University Men’s Wrestling
Courtesy of Limestone Athletics – Link
GAFFNEY, S.C. – Limestone University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Cerino is pleased to announce the hiring of Colin Johnston as the Limestone men’s wrestling coach.
“After conducting a national search, Coach Johnson emerged as someone that we felt very confident in leading our regionally and nationally acclaimed men’s wrestling program,” said Cerino. “With his experience as a student-athlete in a Power 5 program, and his growth as a coach at all three levels of NCAA wrestling, including restarting the program at Fairmont State, we feel that Coach Johnson is the right candidate to guide Limestone wrestling through an incredible tough region and to help this program take the next step forward.”
Prior to his arrival at Limestone, Johnston was the head coach at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, W.Va. for three years. During his first season leading the Falcons – a program competing for the first time in over 30 years – Fairmont State went 1-3 in dual matches and finished seventh at the MEC Championships. The Falcons also took third in Super Region 1 that season.
Prior to Fairmont State Johnston launched the program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford – an NCAA Division III program. In the program’s first year, Johnston and Pitt-Bradford shared many successes, highlighted by a victory in the team’s final dual meet of the season against Penn State-Behrend.
Capping the program’s first season was a strong showing in the NCAA Southeast Regional, which was highlighted by senior Sam Colebert’s sixth-place finish in the heavyweight class. Johnston led a second student-athlete to a top-10 regional finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional as Mitch Dowd took eighth-place in the heavyweight class.
Johnston became a first full-time head coach at Pitt-Bradford after serving as assistant wrestling coach at NCAA Division I Davidson College from 2015-2017.
At Davidson, he scheduled team practices, planned meets and oversaw strength and conditioning commitments and NCAA weight certifications, while also reviewing and analyzing video of the athletes’ performance.
On the administrative side of the program, he organized, planned and executed the teams travel and reservations while developing all procedures to manage and meet the allotted budget. Johnston also handled a large percentage of Davidson’s recruiting.
From November 2015 until February 2016 Johnston served as Davidson’s interim head coach, where he took on all head coaching responsibilities for the Division I program while also covering his assistant coach duties.
The Eighty Four, Pa. native, also spent time coaching in his hometown at the Quest School of Wrestling Club as an instructor from 2007-2014. While in college, he also spent four summers working at the West Virginia University Wrestling Camp as an instructor and counselor.
Johnston spent his collegiate career wrestling at West Virginia University, where he served as a team captain in 2013 and 2014. He also earned a 2014 NCAA Division I qualification in the 141-pound weight class after turning in an overall record of 28-10, including a 16-2 dual record and a 4-4 mark against ranked opponents. His 28 total victories in 2013-14 ranked second on the Mountaineers’ roster.
Johnston also wrestled at 133 during the 2012-13 season for the Mountaineers, earning seven total victories.
“I am grateful and very honored to be selected as the new head wrestling coach at Limestone University,” said Johnston. “Limestone University has a long-standing tradition of excellence in the sport of wrestling and I want to continue that tradition. I want to thank Dr. Parker and Mike Cerino and the selection committee for giving me this outstanding opportunity.”
Johnston earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies in 2014 from West Virginia University and a Master’s Degree in Sport Management/Intercollegiate Athletics Administration Studies at California University of Pennsylvania.
Courtesy of Limestone Athletics – Link
GAFFNEY, S.C. – Limestone University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Cerino is pleased to announce the hiring of Colin Johnston as the Limestone men’s wrestling coach.
“After conducting a national search, Coach Johnson emerged as someone that we felt very confident in leading our regionally and nationally acclaimed men’s wrestling program,” said Cerino. “With his experience as a student-athlete in a Power 5 program, and his growth as a coach at all three levels of NCAA wrestling, including restarting the program at Fairmont State, we feel that Coach Johnson is the right candidate to guide Limestone wrestling through an incredible tough region and to help this program take the next step forward.”
Prior to his arrival at Limestone, Johnston was the head coach at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, W.Va. for three years. During his first season leading the Falcons – a program competing for the first time in over 30 years – Fairmont State went 1-3 in dual matches and finished seventh at the MEC Championships. The Falcons also took third in Super Region 1 that season.
Prior to Fairmont State Johnston launched the program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford – an NCAA Division III program. In the program’s first year, Johnston and Pitt-Bradford shared many successes, highlighted by a victory in the team’s final dual meet of the season against Penn State-Behrend.
Capping the program’s first season was a strong showing in the NCAA Southeast Regional, which was highlighted by senior Sam Colebert’s sixth-place finish in the heavyweight class. Johnston led a second student-athlete to a top-10 regional finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional as Mitch Dowd took eighth-place in the heavyweight class.
Johnston became a first full-time head coach at Pitt-Bradford after serving as assistant wrestling coach at NCAA Division I Davidson College from 2015-2017.
At Davidson, he scheduled team practices, planned meets and oversaw strength and conditioning commitments and NCAA weight certifications, while also reviewing and analyzing video of the athletes’ performance.
On the administrative side of the program, he organized, planned and executed the teams travel and reservations while developing all procedures to manage and meet the allotted budget. Johnston also handled a large percentage of Davidson’s recruiting.
From November 2015 until February 2016 Johnston served as Davidson’s interim head coach, where he took on all head coaching responsibilities for the Division I program while also covering his assistant coach duties.
The Eighty Four, Pa. native, also spent time coaching in his hometown at the Quest School of Wrestling Club as an instructor from 2007-2014. While in college, he also spent four summers working at the West Virginia University Wrestling Camp as an instructor and counselor.
Johnston spent his collegiate career wrestling at West Virginia University, where he served as a team captain in 2013 and 2014. He also earned a 2014 NCAA Division I qualification in the 141-pound weight class after turning in an overall record of 28-10, including a 16-2 dual record and a 4-4 mark against ranked opponents. His 28 total victories in 2013-14 ranked second on the Mountaineers’ roster.
Johnston also wrestled at 133 during the 2012-13 season for the Mountaineers, earning seven total victories.
“I am grateful and very honored to be selected as the new head wrestling coach at Limestone University,” said Johnston. “Limestone University has a long-standing tradition of excellence in the sport of wrestling and I want to continue that tradition. I want to thank Dr. Parker and Mike Cerino and the selection committee for giving me this outstanding opportunity.”
Johnston earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies in 2014 from West Virginia University and a Master’s Degree in Sport Management/Intercollegiate Athletics Administration Studies at California University of Pennsylvania.
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