Johnston enters his 37th year as the Terriers' Head Athletic Trainer in 2025-26, his 30th year as the Director of the Academic program, his 26th year as an Assistant Athletic Director and his ninth year as the Athletics Health Care Administrator. Johnston joined Hiram College from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, where he served as an assistant athletic trainer for four years.
Johnston was promoted to Director of the Academic program in July 1996, Assistant Athletic Director in July 2001 and Athletics Health Care Administrator in June 2017. In his role as Head Athletic Trainer and Athletics Health Care Administrator, Johnston is responsible for the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries to all student-athletes involved in intercollegiate and intramural programs.
In addition to his roles at Hiram College, Johnston also has served as an Athletic Trainer Liaison for the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) since May 2013, representing the NCAC at the Athletic Trainers annual meeting and Athletic Trainers at annual NCAC Caucus Meetings.
During his time at Hiram College, Johnston has also served in numerous roles throughout the athletic department and the college as a whole. Since Aug. 1989, Johnston has served as an adjunct faculty at Hiram in the Department of Integrative Exercise Science (IES), advising, counseling and instructing students pursuing an IES major. Previously, Johnston also served as the chair of the college’s IES major committee and was instrumental in the research, development and implementation of the IES major.
Before being named an Assistant Athletic Director, Johnston spent five months as the interim director of athletics in 2001. Johnston has also served as the Co-Director Hiram College Employee Wellness Program and served on the Coleman Sports Center Building Committee, as well as numerous other search committees throughout his 34 years at Hiram.
Upon his hiring in 1989, Johnston also served as the coordinator of the work-study program from Aug. 1989 to June 1991, before transitioning to the coordinator of the fitness center for four years and the director of athletic fundraising for five years.
Additionally, Johnston has served as the chairperson for both the NCAC and Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) athletic trainers, officiating meetings and serving as a member of the conferences’ executive committee.
Johnston also spent five years as an athletic trainer/administrative director for Ohio Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Inc., developing and implementing a satellite sports medicine clinic on the Hiram College campus serving the sports medicine needs of five local high schools.
Prior to joining the Terriers, Johnston spent four years as an assistant athletic trainer at Wittenberg University.
Previously, Johnston also spent one year as the head athletic trainer at Miller High School in Hemlock, Ohio.
A National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) certified athletic trainer and a member of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association, Johnston earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio in May 1984 and his master’s degree in physical education from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in June 1985.
He and his wife, Denise, have two sons, Josh and Ryan, and reside in Southington, Ohio.
