Tony Robie

When Virginia Tech head wrestling coach Tony Robie came to Blacksburg in 2006, he was an associate head coach who inherited a barren program that had the potential to be great. Progressively he helped build the Hokies into one of the top programs in the ACC and a mainstay in the top-10 nationally. seven full seasons into his tenure as head coach, Robie is still leading the Hokies into new territory.
 
Before the 96th year of Virginia Tech wrestling, there had never been a champion in program history. In just Robie's second season at the helm, he helped guide Mekhi Lewis to the program's first national title in 2019. Then five years later, would add to the tally as Caleb Henson won the program's second title in the 2023-2024 season. Under Robie's tutelage, Henson would finish his sophomore year campaign with a 30-2 record en route to his national title at 149-pounds and become just the fourth Hokie to make a finals appearance and just the fifth time Tech made the NCAA Championship finals. With Robie at the helm, Lewis created more history and became the first four-time NCAA All-American and just the second four-time ACC Champion in program history to end his legendary Virginia Tech career. The Hokies would the conference with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Championships in Kansas City with two other All-Americans in Bryce Andonian and Thomas Stewart, Jr. to extend Tech's streak of three or more All-Americans for the 11th straight-season. Andonian finished his career with a third All-American honor to become just the seventh three-timer for the Hokies to end an electric career. The Hokies swept ACC awards with Wrestler of the Year to Henson, Freshman of the Year going to Stewart for his All-American finish and individual conference title, and Robie going back-to-back-to-back Coach of the Year honors to cap a great season.

The 100th year of Virginia Tech wrestling proved yet to be historic once again as the Hokies finished ninth at the NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma for yet another top-10 finish. The Robie-led Hokies secured a second-best All-American finish in program history with five finding the podium led by Mekhi Lewis (4th), Caleb Henson (5th), Eddie Ventresca (7th), Sam Latona (7th), and Bryce Andonian (7th). Tech also made history by autoqualifying ten wrestlers to the national tournament for the first time and just the second time the program has sent ten to the NCAA Championships. The Hokies also won a share of the ACC Regular Season title, two individual ACC Champions (Lewis, Henson), ACC Freshman of the Year for Henson's phenomenal debut season, and ACC Coach of the Year yet again marking the fourth honor for Robie in his sixth season at the helm. 

In 2021-2022, Robie led the Hokies to yet another top-10 finish including marking history as Mekhi Lewis became the first two-time finalist in program history. Lewis was joined by Korbin Myers and Bryce Andonian to give Tech three All-Americans for the ninth-straight season and produce a conference leading finish and the fourth most points scored as a team in program history. The Hokies took home three individual ACC titles in Myers, Nathan Traxler, and Lewis who was named the tournament's Most Oustanding Wrestler. Lewis also garnered ACC Wrestler of the Year honors for the second time in his career - the first Hokie to receive the honor twice - for his ACC Championship and his runner-up finish in Detroit. Robie was voted as ACC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career since taking over the program in 2017. To cap of a memorable season, Robie was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Virginia Chapter for his years of service and commitment to the state of Virginia's wrestling scene.

Robie led the Hokies to a historic season in 2020-21, piloting the first undefeated season in program history since 1956-57. At 9-0, the Hokies completed their longest undefeated season in program history under Robie’s guidance, topping 1954-55’s 8-0 mark. With the feat, Robie joined Frank Teske, George Herring and S.B. Sutton. Tech won its fourth ACC Dual Meet Title after posting a perfect 5-0 ACC dual record, the second such title in Robie’s tenure and fourth ACC Championship with Robie at the helm.

In 2019-20, the program rose up the ranks to the No. 3 spot in the National Wrestling Coaches of America Coaches Poll, the highest rank under Robie and tied for the highest in its history. He helped the progression of redshirt sophomore Hunter Bolen, who went on to win his first ACC title in 2020 and was the No. 2 seed for the 2020 NCAA Championships at 184 pounds. True freshman Bryce Andonian and fifth-year senior David McFadden were also ACC runners-up in 2020 under Robie’s tutelage.

In 2018-19, Robie helped guide Mekhi Lewis to the program’s first national championship and Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the 2019 NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh. Lewis’ title run at 165 pounds wrapped up a season that saw the Hokies finish in the top 11 at the NCAA Championships for the eighth consecutive season and a top two placing at the ACC Championships for the seventh straight year. Tech had three All-Americans and three ACC champions in Lewis, Zack Zavatsky and David McFadden. Robie’s performance earned him 2019 ACC Coach of the Year accolades, his second time receiving the honor.
 
In his first season leading the program, Robie continued Virginia Tech wrestling’s run of success as the Hokies won its second consecutive ACC Championship and placed eighth at the NCAA Championships in Cleveland.
 
Robie became the first coach in the history of ACC wrestling to guide his team to conference championships in his first two seasons. With Robie on staff, Virginia Tech has won four ACC titles over the last seven years and seven conference trophies overall when including dual meet championships.
 
In Robie’s first full campaign, Virginia Tech placed at least three wrestlers on the podium at nationals for the sixth consecutive season. Jared Haught led the group of three All-Americans in 2018 by becoming the Hokies’ second-ever national finalist, joining Devin Carter in 2014. Four Hokies – Haught, David McFadden, Brent Moore and Dennis Gustafson – won ACC titles, with Moore taking home Most Valuable Wrestler honors. Robie also coached McFadden to a regular season record of 30-0, the first undefeated season at Virginia Tech since 2001-02.
 
In duals, Robie led the Hokies to a 14-3 overall record, a 4-1 mark in ACC matches and a final ranking of No. 10 in the final NWCA Coaches Poll. Robie’s 14 dual meet victories ranks second in the ACC record book for most wins by a first-year head coach behind Wade Schalles’ 15 wins with Clemson in 1978. His .824 winning percentage ranks third all-time in ACC history for a rookie head coach. In Virginia Tech history, Robie’s winning percentage ranks first among rookie head coaches while his 14 wins ranks second behind Tom Brands’ 16 dual meet wins in 2004-05. Robie, who started five freshmen in duals for a majority of the season, was also named a finalist for the Theraworx NWCA National Coach of the Year award.
 
On March 21, 2017, Robie was promoted to head wrestling coach at Virginia Tech after serving as interim head coach since February of that year. During that span, Robie led the Hokies to the team title at the ACC Championships and a sixth-place finish at the 2017 NCAA Championships in St. Louis –  Tech’s fifth-straight top-10 finish at nationals.
 
Robie was an integral part of the Virginia Tech wrestling staff for 11 seasons as associate head coach under former head coach Kevin Dresser. Between that 2006-07 and 2016-17, the Hokies won three ACC Dual Meet Championships, three ACC tournament championships and finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships five times. One of those top 10 team finishes included a then-ACC record and program best fourth place finish in 2016. He also helped recruit and coach 17 ACC champions and 14 All-Americans.
 
Robie came to Blacksburg after serving as the head coach at Binghamton University, a program that had been discontinued after the 2003-04 school year because of budget constraints. Before taking over at Binghamton, he was an assistant coach for four seasons at the University of Michigan.
 
In seven years as a Division I assistant coach, Robie helped coach 23 All-Americans, nine Academic All-Americans and one national champion. As the Wolverines' top assistant coach, Robie recruited three top-10 classes, including the No. 2 ranked class in 2004. His one-on-one work with Michigan student-athlete Ryan Bertin culminated with Bertin's 2003 NCAA championship - the school's first national champion in 18 years. In all, Michigan's team earned national top-10 status all four years that Robie was a coach there. His dedication and influence off the mat resulted in the wrestling team winning the 2003 community service award at the school.
 
Robie joined the Michigan staff after coaching stops at West Virginia (1998-99) and Edinboro (1999-00).
 
A world-class wrestler in his own right, Robie was a two-time All-American at Edinboro and a 1997 NCAA finalist at 158 pounds who turned in a career record of 126-23. A two-time captain for Olympic gold medalist Bruce Baumgartner, Robie was a three-time Eastern Wrestling League Champion and a three-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion. As a senior, Robie led the Fighting Scots to a sixth-place national finish - the highest in school history. He ranks fourth on the school's all-time wins list and went on to earn a bronze medal at the 1998 U.S. Open Freestyle Championships. In 2008, he was inducted into the Edinboro Sports Hall of Fame.
 
A native of Erie, Pa., Robie was a Dean's List student at Edinboro and received the school's Academic Achievement Award before graduating with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1997. Robie and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Christiansburg with their three children – Nate, Luke and Jake.