Congratulations to Coach Dennis Tankersley who was recently recognized at this year’s County Wrestling Meet for his outstanding contributions to Washington County as a wrestler, coach, mentor, and educator. His impact on the sport of wrestling has helped build programs, athletes, and character at all three Washington County schools.
Wrestling Career: Coach Tankersley began wrestling at Eastern in sixth grade, competing through middle school before a varsity program was established. When Eastern added varsity wrestling, he quickly left his mark:
Freshman year: Won the first varsity wrestling match ever held in Washington County
Sophomore year: Won the 125 lb. sectional title at Jennings County, becoming the county’s first sectional wrestling champion
Senior year: Finished with a 30–4 record and was regional runner-up at a time when only the top two advanced
A Complete Athlete: In addition to wrestling, Coach Tankersley was a standout four-sport athlete at Eastern, earning 16 varsity letters in Baseball, Track, Cross Country, and Wrestling.
Track & Field
2× Sectional Champion (800m); regional qualifier all four years; state qualifier (21st)
Sectional Champion (1600m)
Sectional Champion (1600m relay)
School record holder (3200m relay)
Cross Country
Regional Runner-up
5th place at Semi-State
State qualifier (52nd)
Baseball
Four-year starter
Sectional Champion
Regional Champion
State qualifier
Coaching History: Coach Tankersley is widely respected not only for building programs, but for developing quality wrestlers and young men of strong character.
Eastern (2 years): Revived a program on the verge of being cut, increasing participation from 4 to 12 wrestlers
Salem (9 years): Grew another struggling program from 4 to 18 wrestlers and coached two semi-state qualifiers
West Washington (since 2017): Founded the wrestling program, leading teams to numerous county and conference titles and producing:
1 Sectional Champion: Wyatt Johnston
2 Regional Champions: Wyatt Johnston, Mason Jones
5 Semi-State Qualifiers: Griffin Packwood, Caleb Murphy, Mason Jones, Wyatt Johnston, Rhiley Brennan
What This Recognition Means:
“Any spotlight on the sport of wrestling is great. I’d like to think I’ve had an impact on every wrestler I’ve coached, and to be recognized for that service is appreciated.”
In the Classroom: Beyond athletics, Coach Tankersley prepares students for life after high school by teaching dual credit Ivy Tech courses at West Washington, including:
Intro to Engineering and Design
Principles of Engineering
Civil Engineering and Architecture
Intro to Construction
Intro to Carpentry
Carpentry Framing and Finishing
Family: Outside of the classroom and wrestling room, Coach Tankersley enjoys time with his family. He and his wife Heidi have three sons—Jent, Duke, and August. Together, they enjoy fishing, golfing, and wiffle ball in the front yard.
Thank you, Coach Tankersley, as you continue to make a lasting impact on wrestling, education, and the lives of student-athletes across Washington County.
