New York, N.Y. – Daryn Johnson has been named the head coach of the Hunter College men's and women's cross country and track and field teams, as announced by Director of Athletics, Recreation and Intramurals Terry Wansart on Monday.
 
Former head coach Daniel Selsky has left Hunter to pursue other opportunities, turning over the position to his first assistant Johnson.
 
"We are excited to elevate Coach Johnson from assistant coach to the head coaching postion of the cross country and track and field teams," said Wansart. "He has been an integral part of Coach Selsky's staff, who unfortunately resigned due to relocating to the Boston area last month.
 
"The Hunter Hawks have built a long history of success and we believe Coach Johnson will lead the team to meet those expectations developed by our many former student-athletes and coaching staffs from the last few decades.
 
"He comes with an understanding of Hunter's culture of excellence both on the track and in the classroom. He is ready to take on the challenge of enhancing our teams as he is organized, highly professional, has a diverse coaching background in varied events and is a philosophical fit for the Hunter program."
 
Johnson joined the Hunter ranks in 2015 as an assistant coach of the cross country and track teams, helping them through some of their most successful seasons in program history.
 
During his time at Hunter, the Hawks have won three women's cross country CUNYAC Championships, two women's indoor track and field CUNYAC Championships and two women's outdoor track and field CUNYAC Championships.
 
Johnson has been primarily responsible for leading the sprint, hurdle and relay efforts of the programs. Since 2015, he has coached 15 individual conference champions in those events, including one ECAC title in the women's distance medley relay in 2018.
 
Prior to his time with the Hawks, Johnson spent time as the track program site director for the New York City Parks Foundation, as well as an assistant coach of the cross country and track and field program at Fordham Preparatory School.
 
Johnson has split time as a track coach, while maintaining a job as a math and science teacher since 2007. He currently works as the lead chemistry teacher at Xavier High School.
 
A talented collegiate runner, Johnson competed in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field all four years at Cornell University. While running for the Big Red, he helped his team to a conference championship in indoor and outdoor during his senior year and qualified for the Eastern Regional Championships in the steeplechase.
 
Johnson graduated from Cornell with a Bachelor of Science and earned a Master of Science in Education from Fordham University in 2012. He owns a U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association technical certification.
 
"I am honored to be asked to move up to head coach from assistant and humbled at the same time, as my predecessor and friend has helped revive and set the foundation for a program I will work tirelessly to build upon," said Johnson. "I will be looking to pay forward to every Hawk I coach the technical knowledge and experiential learning that I was graced with.
 
"My goal as a head coach is to help the Hunter student-athletes in my care to constantly strive to be better. These are the seeds of true success, regardless of what the race clock or measuring tape says. Being intrinsically motivated to dig deep and give the best of what you're capable of will serve as a foundation for success after beginning post collegiate life."