Carl Johnston joined the University of Rochester as a volunteer assistant coach in 2011, and assists with the Yellowjacket cross country and distance runners. He joined the Rochester staff after spending six years at Wayne High School, most recently as the Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track Coach for the Eagles.
Coach Johnston helped develop Wayne into one of the top high school cross country and distance programs in Western New York. His boys cross country team compiled a dual meet record of 100-5 during his five years as head coach, culminating in a Section V Class B title in 2010. The team had also won three straight league titles, and had six individual State Meet Qualifiers before sending the full squad in 2010. His girls team also experienced similar success, finishing as the Section V runner-up in 2009 and 2010 and sending an individual to the State Meet for three consecutive seasons. The Wayne middle and long distance runners also re-wrote the record books in track & field during Coach Johnston’s tenure there, setting new school records in every event from 800m-3200m and winning six Sectional titles in his six years with the program.
Johnston was named League Coach of the Year five times in cross country and earned Section V Boys Class B Coach of the Year honors after his team won the Sectional title in 2010. He also has extensive administrative experience, serving as League Coordinator for cross country and outdoor track and meet director for numerous invitationals and league championships at Wayne.
In addition to his extensive coaching experience, Coach Johnston has worked as a scientific researcher at the UR School of Medicine and Dentistry since 1988, and currently holds a faculty appointment as a Research Associate Professor in Pediatrics at the University. He earned a PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University at Buffalo, a Masters degree in Toxicology from Rochester, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Buffalo State College.
