LATROBE, PA (March 25) - Saint Vincent College football coach Aaron Smetanka has announced the addition of two new members to his coaching staff, as Chace Johnston has been named as the defensive line coach and Kenne Johnson wide receivers' coach.

Johnston brings with him six years of coaching experience in the WPIAL, most recently serving on the coaching staff at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. He held multiple roles in helping to guide the OLSH offense under head coach Donnie Militzer, including assistant head coach, running game coordinator and offensive line coach.

Before joining OLSH, Johnston served as the defensive coordinator, offensive and defensive line coach and director of football operations at Carmichaels Area High School in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He also served as the defensive line coach, special teams assistant, and director of football operations at Washington High School in Washington, Pennsylvania, under head coach Michael Bosnic in 2020.

Johnston began his coaching career at Carmichaels Area High School, coaching offensive and defensive lines under head coach Ryan Krull for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Johnston played collegiately at Waynesburg University, while earning a B.A. in athletic communication in 2020 and an M.B.A. in 2022, while serving as a graduate assistant in the Waynesburg sports information office under former sports information director Robert Fox.

A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, Johnston graduated from Mapletown High School in 2016, where he was a four-sport athlete, excelling in football, baseball, basketball and wrestling. He currently resides in Irwin, Pennsylvania, with his cat, Spade.

"Coach Chace Johnston is a great addition to our coaching staff," said Smetanka. "His years of coaching the defensive line, offensive line, and special teams will help our team continue to improve as we prepare for the 2024 season. His experience in the WPIAL will also greatly help us in recruiting."
 
Johnson comes to Saint Vincent with eight years of coaching experience, spanning both the collegiate and high school levels.

Most recently, he spent two seasons on the defensive staff at Division-II Shepherd University. In 2020, Johnson's defensive unit led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with 20 interceptions, ranking eighth nationally, while also recording 34 sacks and 91 tackles-for-loss.

Before his time at Shepherd University, Johnson served as the defensive line coach and defensive passing game coordinator at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, during the 2018 season. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator at Lincoln University in 2017.

Johnson began his college coaching career at Frostburg State University, where he coached wide receivers, defensive line, and served as the recruiting coordinator from 2014 to 2016.
Before his collegiate coaching roles, Johnson was the defensive line coach at Randallstown High School in Maryland for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Johnson played collegiately at Lincoln University from 2009-12. A linebacker, he was named the team's MVP in both 2011 and 2012. He was active in a number of leadership activities as an undergraduate, serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and as president of the Grove Phi Groove Social Fellowship.

A native of Randallstown, Maryland, Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in health science from Lincoln University and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Frostburg State University.
He presently resides in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, with his wife and his one son.

"Coach Johnson's coaching experience as both the Division II and III levels will certainly help our team on and off the field," said Smetanka, "while he has extensive experience recruiting in several states, which will help our program, as well."