LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s Ryken High School announced on May 3, 2025, the appointment of Cam Watkins as its new Head Wrestling Coach. Watkins, a former NCAA Division I wrestler and seasoned coach, brings extensive experience from the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) and Southern Maryland to lead the school’s wrestling program. His hiring aims to elevate the team’s performance and foster academic and personal growth among student-athletes.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Watkins to the SMR community as he leads our wrestling program forward,” said Jon Lombardo, SMR Athletic Director. “Coach Watkins brings a wealth of knowledge to SMR and deep ties to the DC region wrestling community. He is a proven head coach, leader, and recruiter who will foster academic excellence and individualized student growth in a Catholic, co-educational setting. We are thrilled to welcome Cam and his family to the SMR community.”
Watkins most recently served as Head Coach at Northern High School in Calvert County, Maryland. His coaching resume includes stints with Rampage Wrestling Club, St. John’s College High School, High 5 Wrestling Club, and Poquoson High School. A two-time Maryland High School State Champion, Watkins competed at Old Dominion University and was inducted into the Colonel Zadok Magruder High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.
In his new role, Watkins outlined a clear vision for the wrestling program. “My first priority is getting to know the current roster and sharing my vision with the SMR wrestling family,” said Watkins. “Effort, attitude, and consistency—mixed with hard work and fundamental wrestling—will be the foundation of our program. I plan to bring lots of energy to the mat, empower assistant coaches, and build a year-round training and competition schedule that prepares us for postseason success.”
Watkins has set ambitious goals for his first year, including winning the WCAC Conference Tournament, performing strongly at the Maryland Independent State Tournament, and placing in the Top 10 at National Preps. To achieve these objectives, he plans to recruit a Girls Head Coach, adjust the in-season competition schedule for better championship preparation, and launch a new annual tournament at St. Mary’s Ryken.
Academic excellence is also a priority. “I hope the wrestling program achieves one of the highest team GPAs among all SMR athletic programs by 2026,” Watkins added. “I’m especially excited to impact these students positively, helping them grow as athletes, scholars, and leaders.”
Watkins emphasized long-term growth through community engagement and youth wrestling connections. “Recruiting and retaining WCAC-quality student-athletes starts now,” said Watkins. “We’ll make SMR Wrestling highly visible and connected in the youth wrestling community.” He also highlighted the school’s support for multi-sport athletes as a key asset for program development.
Returning to the WCAC and Maryland Independent Schools athletic scene excites Watkins. “I can’t wait to get to work,” he said. “The support for wrestling at SMR is tremendous, and the school’s encouragement of multi-sport athletes will be a huge asset as we grow the program.”
St. Mary’s Ryken, located in Leonardtown, Maryland, is a Catholic, co-educational college preparatory school with a strong athletic tradition. The wrestling program, under Watkins’ leadership, is poised to build on this foundation, aiming for both competitive success and holistic student development.