Marty Gordon
Christiansburg High School has given the keys to the wrestling program to one its former all-state champions.
Former Virginia Tech standout Hunter Bolen has been named head coach at the school where he won three state, four regions and four district titles. He was also a two-time Fargo All-American.
As a senior at CHS, Bolen ranked as the number fourth ranked wrestler at 160 pounds. Overall, he was listed as the #17 overall recruit in the country.
At Virginia Tech, he was a two-time NCAA All-American, four-time NCAA qualifier, the 2020 ACC champion and the 2018 ACC Freshman of the year.
In the past two seasons in Blacksburg, he won 43 matches with only 14 losses. This past year, he graduated from Tech and moved to the private sector.
One of Bolen’s most productive years was in 2020 when he was an ACC champion after being the top seed in the conference championships. That season, he also claimed an 8-1 decision over Ohio State’s Zach Steiner to help Tech pull the upset over the then-No. 3 Buckeyes.
The Christiansburg wrestling program had gone on an unbelievable streak of 17 straight titles, ending in 2017. Since then, Christiansburg has not been able to scratch the top five.
The Blue Demons have had several state champions including back-to-back wins by Brady Hand, but the depth in wins simply has not been there.
During this span, Christiansburg has seen four new coaches after now-Iowa State and former Virginia Coach Kevin Dresser stepped away. The coach’s office has been a revolving door.
In a statement announcing Bolen’s appointment, the school said they were thrilled to welcome Bolen back to his alma mater.
“As a former wrestler for CHS and Virginia Tech, he brings a wealth of experience, passion and strong commitment to fostering excellence both on and off the mat. His vision of building a program from within the Christiansburg community aligns perfectly with the goals of our athletic department.”
