03/08/2026
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Shouting out the accomplishments of one of the Victory Elite Wrestlers and his family. 🩵
This was a special moment that reminded everyone in the room what wrestling legacies really look like.
This year, John Matthew “Matt” Ashley was honored with induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – West Virginia Chapter for his Lifetime Service to Wrestling. For those who know the history of wrestling in our area, that recognition could not be more deserved.
Matt Ashley was a 1979 Spencer High School graduate and made history as West Virginia’s first four-time high school state wrestling champion. Many believe he was also the first freshman in the state to ever win a state title in 1976, which makes this year the 50th anniversary of that incredible accomplishment.
But what truly defined Matt Ashley wasn’t just what he did as an athlete — it was what he gave back to the sport.
As head coach of the Wirt County Tigers, he helped build a wrestling tradition that still carries weight today. During his ten years leading the program, his teams won four Little Kanawha Conference Championships and he coached 14 individual state champions. His impact on young wrestlers was so significant that today the West Virginia Coach of the Year award proudly bears his name — the Matt Ashley Award.
Tonight we had the privilege of seeing that legacy continue.
Watching Jameson walk out with his grandfather’s green Hall of Fame jacket as a third-generation Ashley wrestler was one of those moments that reminds you what wrestling is really about. It’s about tradition, hard work, family, and the generations that come after us.
The mat has a long memory. The lessons passed down from coaches and mentors live on in the young wrestlers who lace up their shoes every season.
Matt Ashley may not physically be here to see it, but his legacy is still walking onto the mat.
And tonight, we all got to witness it.