Alex Turley '22 returns to the Averett University men's wrestling program as an assistant coach after wrestling for the Cougars for three seasons.
Turley graduated with his bachelor's degree in May 2022, but elected to return to Averett to use his final semester of eligibility in spring 2023. Turley maximized his final season of collegiate wrestling by becoming a 2023 NCAA national qualifier and Round of 12, going 2-2 at nationals. The two-time national qualifier was the 2023 Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion at 174 pounds and earned All-ODAC honors as well as Virginia Sports Information Director (VaSID) All-State Second Team honors. Regionally ranked, Turley placed third at NCAA regionals and was named ODAC Wrestler of the Week once. Turley went 19 wins, including 12 pins and one tech fall in his final year and was named the Dr. Tommy Foster Male Student-Athlete of the Year at Averett Athletics'Â Night of Champions, earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors and was named to the VaSID Academic All-State Team for the second time.
Turley transferred to Averett for the 2020-21 season and finished 20-3 overall in his first year. He led the team with 17 wins by fall. He was wanked No. 5 in the nation at 165 pounds by D3wrestle.com and No.6 by the NWCA and Intermat, earned All-American honors following a seventh-place podium at the NWCA Nationals (no NCAA national tournament was held in 2021). Turley then was named the Averett Athletics Night of Champions Freshman Male Athlete of the Year recipient and was selected to the VaSID All-State Second Team at 165 pounds. He followed that up with another stellar season in his second year with Averett. Turley was a 2022 NCAA Division III national tournament qualifier after placing at NCAA Regionals. He earned 2022 NWCA Division III Scholar All-American honors, went 19-8 and was ranked No. 2 in the region and No. 14 in the nation at 165 pounds by the NWCAÂ entering the tournament. Turley finished as the runner-up in both the Southeast Wrestling Conference championship and the NCAA Southeast Region championship. He earned a class athlete of the year award at Averett Athletics' Night of Champions while also being selected to the VaSID Academic All-State Team.
During his high school years, Turley competed at Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia, where he was a two-time Central Region champion (2011, 2012), a four-time Virginia state qualifier and two-time AAA Virginia state placer (fourth in 2011, fifth in 2012). While at Thomas Dale, Turley set the school and VHSL state records for wins in a season (60), pins in a season (53) and pins in a career (138) while compiling a career record of 168-21.
Turley has was like another coach on the training mat for the Cougars during his time as a student-athlete at Averett. He's also served as a volunteer assistant coach for Virginia Team Predator while also coaching at various clinics and camps.
A native of Chester, Virginia, Turley earned his bachelor's degree in history from Averett and is pursuing his master's degree in education.
