FERRUM, Virginia -- Director of Athletics Cleive Adams has announced the hiring of Blake Roulo as Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Ferrum College. Roulo comes to Ferrum from Averett University, where he served the past six years as Head Wrestling Coach.

Roulo posted five consecutive winning seasons at the helm of Averett's mat program. He racked up 96 career dual meet wins, including 21 over NCAA Division II schools and two over Division I schools. He led the Cougars to an impressive 23-6 overall record in 2021-22, while his 2023-24 team went 20-7. 

Roulo's accomplishments include having coached 20 NCAA qualifiers, 10 All-Americans, 12 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-Americans, 38 regional placewinners, 14 conference champions, 38 wrestlers nationally ranked by the NWCA and/or d3wrestle.com, and one wrestler ranked #1 in the nation two years in a row. 

A seasoned recruiter, Roulo brought in large recruiting classes at Averett: 46 wrestlers in 2019-20, 54 in 2020-21, 63 in 2021-22, 65 in 2022-23, and 60-plus in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He also excels as a fundraiser, out-pacing all Averett sports programs during Annual Day of Giving events the past three years. 

"We're thrilled to welcome Blake Roulo to Ferrum as our new Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director," said Adams. "We're fortunate to have attracted a proven, high-quality coach who can continue to elevate our wrestling program and uphold the elite standards that have been established. In his role as Assistant Athletic Director, Blake will also focus on enhancing game day management as we continue to prioritize the student-athlete and fan experience at Ferrum College."

An NCAA Division I wrestler at George Mason University and Buffalo University, Roulo qualified for the 2013 NCAA Tournament. A four-year All-Conference wrestler, he placed second in the conference championships in 2012 and 2013, fifth in 2014 and fourth in 2016. During his four-year collegiate career, Roulo was ranked as high as #12 in the NCAA Division I national poll. Roulo earned his bachelor's degree in history from George Mason in 2016 and his master's degree in business administration from Averett in 2019.

Roulo was an eight-time National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national champion, sweeping both middle school & high school divisions. He was named the NHSCA Wrestler of the Year in 2011. Roulo was a four-time high school Fargo All-American, and won a Virginia AAA state title in 2010.

"I'm honored and energized to begin this new chapter as Head Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Ferrum," said Roulo. "Ferrum's proud tradition of excellence is the foundation we'll build on as we transition into NCAA Division II. Our mission is clear to develop champions on and off the mat, bring All-Americans and national titles to Virginia, and create a culture where student-athletes thrive. The journey starts now and Ferrum is the place to be."

Roulo succeeds Logan Meister '17 as Head Wrestling Coach. Meister recently completed his fourth season as head coach, leading the Panthers to a program-best #15 finish at the 2025 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. The Panthers finished 10-6 in dual meets and had two wrestlers finish fourth individually at the NCAA Tournament to each earn a second All-America honor.

Ferrum left the NCAA Division III ranks and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on July 1, 2025, reclassifying as an NCAA Division II school and competing as a member of Conference Carolinas in all sports starting in Fall 2025. Roulo officially begins his position at Ferrum on August 1, 2025. The Panther wrestling team saw five student-athletes graduate in May 2025, with another 18 eligible for the upcoming 2025-26 season.