Tommy Owen was named the first head coach of the Averett University men's wrestling program in October 2016 in preparation for the program's inaugural season in 2017-18.
In his first two seasons at Averett, Owen has helped build the program into a contender. In only its second year, Averett had three wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Division III national tournament. He's also coached one Most Outstanding Wrestler Award in the American College Division at the Virginia Duals, as well as one Southeast Conference Wrestler of the Week.
Before coming to Averett, Owen spent two seasons as the head assistant coach at Division I Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he coached NCAA national qualifiers and two conference champions in each of the past two years. His teams also were successful in the classroom, earning a top-14 Division I National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team ranking both years.
From 2013-16, Owen also served as a USA Wrestling national team volunteer coach, coaching a silver medalist and a bronze medalist at the 2014 University World Championships in Hungary.
Before joining SIUE’s coaching staff, Owen coached at Division I George Mason University from 2011-14 while also working as the regional training center coach for the Patriot Elite Wrestling Club. Owen’s collegiate coaching experience also included a stint from 2007-2008 as an assistant at Division I Boise State University, his alma mater.
Owen has also coached a number of club and high school teams, including a position as the head freestyle wrestling coach for Virginia USA Wrestling.
As a collegiate wrestler, Owen competed for Boise State in 2006-07. He began his wrestling career at Division I University of Minnesota, where he was a two-time NCAA national qualifier. He finished seven at the University Nationals Freestyle in 2003, was the Fila Junior National Champion in 2002 and competed at the Junior Pan American Championships in Bogota, Colombia, where he finished second in Greco-Roman and third in Freestyle. While at Minnesota, the team won the 2002 national championship and was the 2003 national runner-up. The Gophers also won the Big 10 Conference championship both of those seasons.
In high school, Owen was a three-time Washington state champion and a four-time finalist. He was the 2001 National High School Coaches Association national champion, a 1998 Cadet National Champion and a member of the 2000 Fila Junior World Team.
A native of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, Owen received his bachelor’s degree in history from Boise State in 2006. He joined the Averett family, along with his wife, Jenny, and son Asher.
