Justin Potter joined the University of Mount Olive Track and Field Staff in August of 2016. In August of 2021 he was promoted to Associate Head Coach.
Potter came to Mount Olive from Shenandoah University where he served as the Assistant Cross Country/Track & Field Coach from 2013-2016. Before then, he served a stint at Lynchburg College, where he earned his Master's in Education in 2013, as a Graduate Assistant with the Track and Field team from 2011-13.
Since coming to UMO, Potter has coached 36 all-conference award winners, 9 conference champions, 1 field athlete of the year (Hannah Glover), 7 new school record holders, 1 conference record (Candy Lockett) and had 1 provisional qualifier (Lockett).
While at Lynchburg, Potter coached many student-athletes to individual championships, however, one champion stood out. In his first outdoor season coaching, one of his student-athletes on their final attempt in the discus was in second place. His thrower on their final attempt collected a four-foot personal best and won the event. Potter coached 14 individual conference champions, 36 all-conference award winners, and 1 all American in the decathlon.
In his final season coaching at Shenandoah, Potter had his first-ever female individual hammer champion. The student-athlete fouled on her first two throws of the competition and needed a good mark to make the finals in the event. The final throw of the prelims ended up winning her the championship. Potter coached 32 all-conference award winners, 38 new school records, 4 individual conference champions, 1 rookie of the year and 8 national qualifiers.
Potter returned to his Alma Mater five years after graduating from UMO (Mount Olive College at the time) with a Bachelor's in History. While at Mount Olive, Potter was a member of the Track and Field team that won their first-ever Conference Carolinas Championship in 2011. During that meet, Potter earned Mount Olive a point in the Javelin with a 6th place finish in the event.
Justin is married to Nicole Balsamello the Manager for Admissions Operations at the University Mount Olive. They reside in Mount Olive and have a son Carson, a cat named Ziggy and a dog named Zoey. The Potter's can be seen cheering on the Carolina Panthers every Sunday.
Advice to future student-athletes: "Great things will happen if you believe in yourself and invest in your program."
