Mark Wolohan

Mark has been a part of the Riekes Center team since 2012, starting his journey there in high school.  Over his long tenure, he has worked in every department, but his primary role remains as an Athletic Fitness coach. In his earlier days at the center, Mark was both a student and a coach, and the center played a pivotal role in his own athletic career. His achievements include starting as the wide receiver for the football team and running track at Occidental College. Prior to transferring to Occidental, Mark took the initiative to broaden his training beyond the parameters of the center, even traveling to Kingston, Jamaica, to train with the renowned Usain Bolt at Racer’s Track Club. This not only helped Mark to get faster, but also deepened his understanding of the biomechanical and physiological principles governing speed development. 

Mark graduated from Occidental with a B.S. in Kinesiology and a Minor in Economics, but injured his neck during his senior football season in the process. However, what seemed like an unfortunate setback, led Mark, who felt not yet ready to give up competitive athletics, to reignite a former passion of his– basketball. This, somewhat unexpectedly, materialized in an enriching foray into professional basketball, where Mark played in the Liga Superior de Baloncesto’s 2019 Torneo Clausura in El Salvador. Additionally, Mark currently holds his distinguished NSCA-CPT (National Strength and Conditioning Association- Certified Personal Trainer) certification. Mark uses both his extensive exercise science knowledge and athletic experience to effectively personally train, create individualized training programs for, or otherwise coach, participants of all ages, backgrounds, and physical and cognitive abilities.

Outside of fitness and athletics, Mark is interested in hiking, music, and travel—interests that have been shaped, in part, by his long and rich history with the center.