About Us
Welcome to High Country Wrestling Camps!
Formerly known as the Mountaineer Wrestling School, High Country Wrestling Camps are run by the Appalachian State Head Wrestling Coach JohnMark Bentley. Our camps offer several options for wrestlers at every level. All camps will be conducted on the campus of Appalachian State University and are open to any and all entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level, and/or gender).
Meet Our Staff
Get to know the experienced and dedicated coaches who bring passion and expertise to High Country Wrestling Camps!
JohnMark Bentley
Head Coach – Appalachian State Wrestling
JohnMark Bentley is a seven-time SoCon Coach of the Year and four-time national coach of the year finalist in his 16 seasons as head coach at App State. He has compiled a career dual record of 152-83-1, leading the Mountaineers to eight SoCon regular season titles while producing 64 NCAA qualifiers and five All-America finishes. A three-time ACC champion at North Carolina as a wrestler, Bentley was also a four-time North Carolina high school state champion with a perfect 144-0 prep record.
Randall Diabe
Head Assistant Coach – Appalachian State Wrestling
Randall Diabe is an App State Wrestling alum who was promoted to head assistant coach in June 2024. As a competitor, he was a two-time NCAA Championships qualifier who finished his career with a 77-48 record, earning All-Southern Conference honors and a SoCon Championship at 197 pounds. A native of Greensboro, N.C., Diabe graduated from App State in December 2019 with a degree in health promotion.
Austin Nelson
Director of Operations – Appalachian State Wrestling
Austin Nelson serves as the Director of Operations for Appalachian State Wrestling, overseeing the day-to-day operations of both the program and High Country Wrestling Camps. His organizational expertise and attention to detail ensure that camps run smoothly, allowing coaches and athletes to focus on training and development.
Paul Bianchi
Assistant Coach – Appalachian State Wrestling
Paul Bianchi joined App State Wrestling as an assistant coach in June 2024 after spending two seasons at Minnesota State. He was an NCAA Championships qualifier at both Little Rock and North Dakota State, becoming the first NCAA qualifier in Little Rock history and earning Division I Scholar All-American honors. A native of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, Bianchi was a three-time state champion with a 205-6 prep record before his collegiate career.
Hunter Shaut
Assistant Coach – Appalachian State Wrestling
Hunter Shaut joined the App State Wrestling coaching staff prior to the 2025-26 season after concluding his collegiate career at Buffalo, where he earned Academic All-MAC recognition in each of his final two seasons. He won 43 matches during his career, including a fourth-place finish at the MAC Championships at 165 pounds. A native of Mohawk, N.Y., Shaut was the first two-time state champion in Central Valley Academy's history with a 53-4 senior record.
Veronica Carlson
Girls Camp Instructor
Veronica Carlson serves as the Lead Girls Camp Instructor. She was the 2013 US Open Champion and represented the United States at the 2013 World Championships at 69kg. Her resume includes three USA freestyle age group National Championships and a runner-up finish at the 2010 Women's College Nationals.
Kayla Miracle
Girls Camp Instructor
Kayla Miracle is a two-time U.S. Olympic Team member and two-time Senior World Championships silver medalist. She has been a four-time U.S. World Team member, two-time Junior World Championships bronze medalist, and Cadet World Championships silver medalist. Her impressive resume includes a Pan American Games gold medal, two Pan American Championships gold medals, three Final X titles, four U.S. Open championships, and four WCWA women's college national championships for Campbellsville University.
Facility Tour
Take a virtual tour of our world-class wrestling facilities at Appalachian State University!
Varsity Gym at Appalachian State University
Camp Address: 530 Rivers St, Boone, NC 28607