The Spark for Illinois : Speakers & Interviews

Mark Johnson a native of Rock Island, Illinois was a standout wrestler in high school. His senior year he won the national title He went on to attend the University of Michigan where Martk was 2x All…
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Mark Johnson a native of Rock Island, Illinois was a standout wrestler in high school. His senior year he won the national title He went on to attend the University of Michigan where Martk was 2x All…
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Mark Johnson a native of Rock Island, Illinois was a standout wrestler in high school. His senior year he won the national title

He went on to attend the University of Michigan where Martk was 2x All American and twice a runner up. He won two National titles after college and earned the right to join the 1980 US Olympic team. Unfortunately with the American boycott of the Soviet Olympics he was unable to compete. During these years after college he did make an impression on Gable and J. Robinson as he was asked to join the University of Iowa staff where he coached for 12 years between 1978 and 1990 in the most successful collegiate program in the country.

In 1991 He went out west to coach Oregon State and by 92 led his team to the Pac 10 Title. Coach Johnson came to University of Illinois in 1992 and has since completely transformed the U of I program from a losing one to a year in year out top 20 program.