Wrestling
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- do014@bucknell.edu
Donny Ooton, who helped coach the Bison in 2009 and 2010, made his return to the staff in July, 2023.
Ooton has spent the previous 13 years holding various coaching positions in his home state of Virginia while also pursuing a professional MMA career. He accumulated an 11-1 amateur record in the sport as well a 5-2 professional record.
Outside of his five-year MMA career, Ooton spent time as an assistant coach with Virginia Team Predator, was head coach at Glen Allen High School for a time, and has been a program director with Atlantic Shores Christian Schools.
While leading the Glen Allen Jaguars, Ooton coached six individual 5A state qualifiers, a 2016 Virginia state placer, as well as the 2015 Virginia state champion at 171 lbs.
Most recently as assistant coach with the highly-competitive Virginia Team Predator Youth and High School Club in Chesterfield, Va., Ooton was responsible for the development of athletes based on their individual goals and desires to compete at an elite level. The program has an established history of producing National Champions, All-Americans, State Champions and State Placers, which Ooton helped continue that tradition from 2010-2023. At the same time, the program places student-athletes into programs that allow them to continue their education and advance to competition at the highest level possible.
Beginning in 2021, Ooton took on a role with Atlantic Shores Christian Schools where he held a bevy of responsibilities, including the introduction of a new sports program, developing a K-12 sports program, and scheduling competitions, practices and camps.
During Ooton’s first stint at Bucknell, the wrestling team produced three Division I All-Americans, six NCAA qualifiers in 2009, and 10 NCAA qualifiers overall during his time. He also coached the school’s first EIWA Champion, Andy Rendos (165 lbs.), in 2010.
Ooton first entered the coaching ranks in 2008 at Holley Central School in New York after putting together a successful wrestling career of his own. Originally recruited by Virginia Tech, he was a two-year starter before transferring to SUNY Brockport. Ooton went on to become a two-time All-American with the Golden Eagles, amassing a record of 88-36.
In high school, Ooton was a three-time state champion and All-American with a 178-14 record at Great Bridge in Chesapeake, Va.
Ooton and his wife, Christina, have two children: DJ and Vivian.
