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Davie County Schools announced the appointment of Josh Stanley as the new head wrestling coach at Davie High.

A former standout wrestler at Appalachian State and a graduate of Davie, Stanley brings 24 years’ experience in wrestling and 16 years coaching wrestling for boys and girls ages 5-18. Most recently he served as the head coach at Lake Norman High, where his success included 2022 conference champs, regional champs, state runner-up in 2022, conference coach of the year in 2022, two conference wrestlers of the year, 26 state qualifiers, 14 state placers, five state champions and six All-American honors.

Stanley is also the founder of Combat Athletics, a renowned wrestling and martial arts program located in Bermuda Run. Since 2012, Combat Athletics has produced an impressive 48 state champions, coached 33 NHSCA All-Americans, coached two NHSCA national champions and five NHSCA national finalists, 15 athletes with D-I scholarships and more than 30 athletes at D-II and below.

As a student-athlete at Davie High, Stanley played football and wrestled. He was a two-time third-place wrestler in the state and was a collegiate wrestler at N.C. State and Appalachian State.

“Returning to coach at my alma mater is about more than just coaching,” said Stanley. “It’s a chance to give back to the program and community that molded me, to inspire the next generation of wrestlers, and to build upon the passion for wrestling in this community.”

“We are thrilled to have coach Stanley join our wrestling program,” said Tim Devericks, Davie High Athletic Director. “His track record of success and commitment to excellence make him an ideal fit for our school and community. Having already demonstrated his ability to thrive in the most competitive arenas, we are looking forward to him building upon the already positive influence and accomplishments of Davie’s student-athletes.”