After a long day of classes and practice at University High, you won’t find Luca Felix lounging on the couch at home. He spends his evenings at Felix Wrestling Academy, the training center his family opened a few years ago. Luca is on the mat with younger athletes as they learn the sport of wrestling. Some high school athletes prefer more freedom with their spare time, but this senior wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Luca learned to crawl on the wrestling mats at WVU, where his dad, Danny, was on the coaching staff. His mother, Cheri, married into the wrestling world, accompanying Danny as he competed nationwide and internationally on the U.S. World team and the Olympic Trials. Since the Felixes have settled in Morgantown, they’ve raised their son with the values and work ethic he’ll need to carry on the family legacy. Although it’s not always easy for a child to be coached by his parent, Luca has thrived under Danny’s tutelage. 

Anyone who has the pleasure of meeting Luca will notice that this humble, well-spoken young man will talk about the hard work he’s put in and how he values his father’s expertise – rather than mentioning his accomplishments. A quick search of his wrestling career revealed that he’s been a Youth Ironman National Champion, West Virginia state champion, and a sixth-place finisher at the USMC Junior and 16U Nationals, recognized as the largest wrestling tournament in the world with over 7,000 athletes.  

Last summer, Luca signed on with North Carolina State, a Division I program where the wrestlers are five-time defending ACC champions. After visiting other schools, including  Oklahoma State and WVU, Luca realized that the culture at NC State provides the right opportunity for him. Since he’s been brought up in a collegiate wrestling atmosphere, he knows he’s ready for the rigor and dedication a student needs to compete at the collegiate level.

“I’ve lived it, so I know what to expect,” Luca said. “I’ll need good time management to balance studying with what’s expected at practice.”

Luca is in his final month of prep competition as the top-ranked Hawks head into their last few matches of the season. While he intends to give it his all, he’s also excited to focus on competing with the Wolfpack in Raleigh. Back at Felix Wrestling Academy, the little grapplers will miss the guy they look up to, but the strong family bond among the Felixes will bring Luca home soon enough.