The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s track & field teams announced on August 30, 2013 the hiring of Kadine Johnson, who worked on the staff at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) for the previous two seasons, as an assistant coach focusing on throws.
During the 2013 season, Johnson helped UMBC freshman Vincent Rentzsch to reach the NCAA Championships in the javelin throw after breaking the program record four times and winning the America East championships in both the javelin and the decathlon. Johnson also helped eight-time America East shot put champion Amanda Deller to her second-straight NCAA East Preliminary round and hammer thrower Thor Serafenas to his first.
During the summer of 2012, Johnson returned to her native Jamaica to compete in the Olympic Trials in the hammer throw. She fell just short in her attempt to qualify for the Olympics, however, as her toss of 56.99 meters was less than one meter shy of the event winner's mark. During workouts leading up to the trials, Johnson set a new personal-best of 58.22 meters.
During the 2012 season, Johnson helped guide the Retrievers to the gold and bronze medals in the women’s shot put at the America East Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Originally from New Rochelle, N.Y., Johnson competed at the University at Albany from 2008-11, setting program records in the hammer throw (57.53 meters) and the weight throw (18.02 meters).
After graduating from Albany, she competed at the 2011 World Championship trials for Jamaica, placing second in the overall competition, and winning the University title outright.
Johnson earned her Master’s in Counseling Psychology at UMBC after graduating from Albany with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She also minored in Africana studies.
