Choosing instead to play college ball at North Carolina, he played four seasons, helping the team to an Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title and berth in the 1989 College World Series in his freshman year.

He then served two seasons at Miami (FL), where he helped guide the team to the 2001 College World Series title, produced two All-Americans, and saw 18 players sign professional contracts.

He then moved to Tulane as recruiting coordinator, where six of his seven classes were ranked in the Top 25 nationally by Collegiate Baseball.

The Green Wave reached the 2005 College World Series as the top seed, and earned academic honors in Omaha.

In 2009, Kingston served as associate head coach at Illinois State before being elevated to the top job the following season.