Rock Island native Mark Johnson placed second in the state at 167 for Alleman high School in 1973 and captured a USWF Freestyle National Championship. He also earned All-State football honors as a running back. Mark continued his wrestling career at the University of Michigan, serving as team captain for two years and twice becoming an NCAA finalist and twice and Academic All-American. He was also named the Fielding Yost Outstanding Senior Athlete; the Cliff Keen Outstanding Wrestler; and a member of the East-West All-Star meet. Mark won three USA National Championships and was a Junior World Team Member. In 1978, he placed fourth at the World University Games. Two years later, he won the Olympic Trials to become a member of the 1980 Olympic Greco-Roman Team that was to compete in Moscow. Mark served as graduate assistant at the University of Iowa from 1978 to 1980 and as an assistant coach from 1982 to1990. In, 1986, the National Wrestling Coaches Association named him Assistant Wrestling Coach of the Year. In 1990, he took over the head coaching responsibilities at Oregon State University and two years later was honored as Pac-10 Coach of the Year. He moved to the University of Illinois in 1992, guiding the Illini to 203 wins over 17 seasons and posting a career coaching record of 223-48-5. Illinois' highest finish at the NCAA Championships under Mark came in 2001, when the Illini placed fifth. Mark coached 145 NCAA qualifiers, 45 All-Americans and seven NCAA champions. The NWCA and W.I.N. Magazine named him National Coach of the Year in 1995. In 2005, the Illini won the Big Ten Championship, its first conference crown in 53 years. Mark's teams also won Big Ten dual titles in 2005 and 2006. He was twice named Big Ten Coach of the Year, and in 2002, he was selected as head coach for the NWCA All-Star Meet. Mark has been inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame and the Quad-City Sports Hall of Fame, served as Grand Marshal of the Individual State Championships and was voted the IWCOA Wrestling Man of the Year in 1999.