COACHING STAFF

TONY ROBIE

Head Coach

• Tony Robie has led the Virginia Tech wrestling program through eight seasons, after being elevated to head coach in 2017. With eight full seasons into his tenure as head coach, the six-time ACC Coach of the Year is still leading the Hokies into new territory.

• 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.

• 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.

• 2023, 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, 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.

• Since taking over in Blacksburg, Robie has coached two NCAA champions, guided three Hokies to five NCAA finals appearances, helped coach 31 All-American honors, and led the Hokies to seven ACC team titles.

• Robie became the first coach in the history of ACC wrestling to guide his team to conference championships in his first two seasons.

Click for Coach Robie's bio

Jared Frayer

Associate Head Coach

• Jared Frayer has served as Virginia Tech's assistant coach for eight seasons, having joined Robie's coaching staff in 2017. He was promoted to his current role as associate head coach in May 2023. A 2012 Olympian, Frayer has earned a reputation nationally as an ace recruiter and a tactical on-mat coach under head coach Tony Robie.

• In just his second season in Blacksburg, Frayer helped guide Mekhi Lewis to the program's first national title in 2019. Then five years later, Frayer would help the Hokies strike gold yet again as Caleb Henson won the program's second title in the 2023-2024 season. With Frayer's help, 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.

• Frayer was instrumental in 2020-2021 season to help guide the Hokies to a historic season, helping pilot the first undefeated season in program history since 1956-57. At 9-0, the Hokies completed their longest undefeated season in program history, topping 1954-55’s 8-0 mark. Tech won its fourth ACC Dual Meet Title after posting a perfect 5-0 ACC dual record, the second such title and fourth ACC Championship during Frayer's tenure in Blacksburg.

• In 2018-19, Frayer played a critical role in mentoring Lewis, who won a 2018 Junior World championship in freestyle and a 2019 NCAA championship. Frayer traveled with Lewis to Slovakia where the redshirt freshman won a gold medal competing in his first international freestyle tournament. In the college season, Frayer worked closely with Lewis again on his way to winning Virginia Tech wrestling’s first national championship. Two years later, Frayer would help guide Bryce Andonian to a world bronze medal at the 2021 Junior World Championships.

• Frayer helped lead Tech to the 2018 ACC championship in his first season in Blacksburg. He coached three All-Americans and five ACC champions in a year where the Hokies finished 10th at nationals.

Click for Coach Frayer's bio

James Green

Assistant Coach

• Virginia Tech wrestling head coach Tony Robie announced the addition of former University of Nebraska wrestling legend James Green as assistant coach to the Hokies' coaching staff on Monday, April 30, 2026.

• Not unfamiliar to Blacksburg after spending time with the Southeast Regional Training Center as a resident-athlete from 2020-2022, the Willingboro, New Jersey native returns to Blacksburg to join Robie and staff once again ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

• After a brief retirement from professional competition due to injury, Green announced his return to training and competition in 2023 after spending time as USA Wrestling’s National Freestyle Development Coach in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Since his return, he’s made his seventh world team and has solidified a chance to make another world team on June 19 at Final X in Newark, New Jersey.

• As a coach, Green helped guide Huskers, Ridge Lovett and Antrell Taylor, to both national finals appearances and individual titles. While in Lincoln, Green was instrumental in Nebraska’s back-to-back top three trophy finishes at the national tournament in 2025 and 2026.

• A 2014 Big Ten champion, Green became just the second four-time All-American in Husker history with two seventh and two third place finishes at the NCAA tournament. On the professional side, Green represented the United States at the World Championships at 70-kilograms from 2015-2021 and 2024, winning bronze in 2015 and silver in 2017.

• Robie added, “James has gained valuable experience and built meaningful relationships through his roles as Developmental Coach with USA Wrestling and assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. We’re thrilled to welcome James, his wife Chandell, and their two daughters, Glory and Aubrey, back to the Virginia Tech Wrestling family.”

Click for Coach Green's bio

Ty Walz

Assistant Coach

• One of the greatest athletes, and the most credentialed heavyweight in program history, to ever don the orange and maroon returns to his alma mater. Virginia Tech wrestling head coach Tony Robie announced the addition of Ty Walz as assistant coach to complete the Hokies’ coaching staff ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

• Walz returns to Blacksburg after a three-year tenure in Providence, Rhode Island where he was instrumental in the recruitment and development of Andrew Reall and Alex Semeneko. Both unranked recruits out of high school, Walz guided Reall to an individual Ivy League Conference title, 2026 NCAA Championship Round of 12 finish, and a tied program best 37-6 season record. In addition, he coached Semeneko to an Ivy League finals appearance, an NCAA Championship berth, and finishing the season in the top ten pinfall list across the NCAA twice.

• Prior to his stint in Providence, Walz served on staff in Blacksburg for three seasons, helping guide Jared Haught to an NCAA finals appearance – just the second finalist in program history at the time. Walz was also instrumental in Zack Zavatsky’s development into a two-time All-American and three-time ACC champion for Tech during his time in Blacksburg.

• As a Virginia Tech athlete, Walz became the only three-time heavyweight All-American for the Hokies and also claiming an individual ACC title. Walz was part of the only trophy team in program history – a fourth-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Championships – and was the first world medalist for Hokies Wrestling, capturing bronze at the 2018 U23 World Championships. Walz returns to Blacksburg with his wife Deej and their two daughters, Carter and Emma.

Click for Coach Walz's bio