FORT WORTH - Texas Wesleyan University has hired Quentin Perez as its third head coach of wrestling, effective June 2025. Perez, a former three-time NCAA Division I national qualifier and honorable mention NWCA All-American from Campbell University, brings a wealth of experience as both a competitor and coach to elevate the Rams' men's and women's wrestling programs.

A native of Martinez, California, Perez spent much of his youth in Texas. He eventually moved to Arlington, where he won two UIL 6A state championships at Arlington High School in 2014 and 2015. His 2015 title run was marked by all technical falls and earned him the Most Outstanding Wrestler award for the 6A division. At Campbell University, under head coach Cary Kolat, Perez helped transform a struggling program into a top-15 team nationally. He qualified for the NCAA tournament three times and earned NWCA All-American honors in 2020. He also graduated with a degree in Homeland Security and Criminal Justice. He secured Academic All-American recognition.

Post-college, Perez competed at the senior level, training with the Navy-Marine Corps RTC in Annapolis, Maryland, and the California RTC at Stanford University. His senior-level achievements include a bronze medal at U23 Nationals and qualifying for World Team Trials in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. In 2023, Perez and his wife returned to Texas, where he founded Southern Style Wrestling to bring high-level training to the state.

Since returning, Perez has coached several state champions, including current Texas Wesleyan wrestlers Landry Wilkinson and Carla Campos. He volunteered as a coach for the Rams during the 2024-2025 season and built strong relationships with the team. This helped position him to transition into the head coaching role seamlessly. His first recruiting class includes four Southern Style Wrestling athletes. This signals a promising future for the program.

"I'm excited to bring what I learned from Division I and senior-level wrestling to Texas Wesleyan," Perez said. "This team already has a great foundation, with the women's team finishing top 10 nationally and the men's team finishing in the top 20 nationally, with one individual finalist. We're ready to take this program to new heights and make it a NAIA powerhouse."

To support this vision, Texas Wesleyan has launched a $100,000 fundraising campaign to build a dedicated wrestling facility. The planned facility will feature multiple mats. It will offer weight and cardio training spaces, locker rooms, lounges, and staff offices.

"A dedicated facility will improve training opportunities, enhance recruitment, and increase program visibility," Perez said.