Donnie Vinson - Head Coach - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Donnie Vinson

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
Phone:
716-645-6876

Donnie Vinson, a rising star in the wrestling coaching ranks, was hired as the 16th head coach of the University at Buffalo wrestling program on April 21, 2024.

In his first season, three Bulls placed at the Mid-American Conference Championships. In addition, five wrestlers were named the Academic All-MAC team.

A New York native, Vinson came to Buffalo from Cornell where he served as associate head coach since 2021. In his three seasons at Cornell, he helped lead a Big Red program that won three straight IVY League and EIWA team titles. He assisted in the development of four national champions, 10 All-Americans and 12 EIWA champs. Cornell finished in the top seven at the NCAA Championships in all three of his seasons, including a second-place finish in 2024 and a third-place result in 2023.

He helped coach Vito Arujau who won the national championship at 133 lbs. in 2023 and 2024. He also helped coach 149-pounder Yianni Diakomihalis to two of his four national titles.

Prior to arriving at Cornell, Vinson spent four seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina State. In his time with the Wolfpack, they had a pair of top-six NCAA team finishes, including fourth in 2018. NC State won the ACC team title all four years he was there. In addition, the Wolfpack had nine All-Americans, three individual NCAA finalists and crowned Michael Macchiavello national champion at 197 lbs. in 2018.

Over his four years, NC State posted a 52-6 dual meet record, including an 18-2 mark in the ACC. Vinson also served as a coach with the Wolfpack Wrestling Club and was involved with the Wolfpack RTC.

Vinson served as a volunteer assistant at Cornell from 2014-17 after embarking on his coaching journey at Binghamton as a graduate assistant during the 2013-14 campaign.

A native of Marathon, NY, Vinson is a 2012 graduate of Binghamton where he posted a record of 132-27 to set the school's career mark for wins. A two-time Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Year, Vinson was an All-American at 149 lbs. in 2012 and was named the CAA Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler. He won the athletic department's Athlete of the Year award and received the John Bilos Alumni Award – given to the top senior male for outstanding career performances as a Bearcat.

Vinson was an Academic All-American as well as named to Binghamton's Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Along with his bachelor's degree in marketing, he also earned a master's degree in student affairs administration from Binghamton in 2014.

Vinson and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Darcy and Artie.