Kate Johnson is in her third season as an assistant swimming and diving coach for the Youngstown State program.
In 2017-18 she worked with new Head Coach Ryan Purdy as the Penguins posted a 7-6 dual record, its first winning mark since 2002. Individually, freshman Aida Jurinovics set a school record in the 400 IM and placed second at the Horizon League Championships in the 200-yard butterfly. YSU had seven top eight finishes at the Horizon League Championships. During the campaign, the Guins posted 10 swimming times that rank in the top five in school history.
In 2016-17, YSU had 12 top-eight finishes at the Horizon League Championships. Leading the way was Viktoria Orosz who was third in the 200-yard freestyle, fifth in the 200-yard backstroke and seventh in the 500-yard freestyle.
Johnson spent two years serving as Akron's Swimming and Diving Director of Operations and interim assistant coach in 2016 before coming to YSU. She was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the swimming and diving program, which included making travel arrangements, developing and organizing swim camps and clinics, fundraising, equipment inventory, merchandise design and purchasing.
While working for the Zips, Johnson served was an assistant coach with the Cuyahoga Falls YMCA program. In the summer of 2015, Johnson was a coach/counselor at The Longhorn Swim Camp in Austin, Texas, and gained valuable experience working alongside 11 Olympians from the coaching staff at The University of Texas.
Johnson has a wide variety of both coaching and educational experiences.
From 2011-14, she worked as an Intervention Specialist at Northwestern Elementary School. In August 2012, she was hired as the Head Swimming Coach at Yellow Springs High School and coached a Yellow Springs swimmer to the finals in two events at the OHSAA State Championships in 2013-14.
Johnson also served as an assistant coach with the Springfield YMCA from 2008-13. Additionally, during the summers of 2010 through 2014 she was the Head Swimming Coach of the Yellow Springs Sea Dogs. Johnson grew the program from 75 to 120 swimmers. Prior to her arrival, the team had not won a single competition in 25 years. During her final season with the Sea Dogs, Johnson led the team to a third-place finish at their championship swim meet and a 4-2 dual meet record.
A native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, she graduated from Wittenberg University with a double major in Early Childhood and Special Education. She also earned her master's degree in athletic administration from Akron in 2016.
