Nolensville Wrestler Wins Second State Title

Brodie Melzoni caps high school career with back-to-back TSSAA wrestling championships

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Nolensville High School senior Brodie Melzoni won his second consecutive TSSAA wrestling state championship, defeating Knoxville Halls' Barrett Whaley 4-1 in the boys Class AA 175-pound final. Melzoni, a Davidson signee, has been coached by his father Johnnie throughout his wrestling career, which has included thousands of matches since first grade.

Why it matters

Melzoni's back-to-back state titles cap an impressive high school wrestling career and highlight the special bond between the father-son duo. The victory also continues Williamson County's strong wrestling tradition, with other local champions crowned at the TSSAA state tournament.

The details

Melzoni (53-4) avenged a close loss to Whaley at the TSSAA state dual championship two weeks ago. Melzoni's father, who has been the Nolensville coach for six seasons, spent the past week helping his son mentally prepare for the title match. Other Williamson County wrestlers who won state titles included Summit's Zachery Little (Class AA 157 pounds) and Station Camp's Nate Graham (Class A 113 pounds).

  • Melzoni won his second straight TSSAA wrestling state championship on February 21, 2026.
  • The TSSAA state wrestling tournament took place at the Williamson County Ag Expo.

The players

Brodie Melzoni

A senior at Nolensville High School who won his second consecutive TSSAA wrestling state championship in the boys Class AA 175-pound division. Melzoni is a Davidson signee and has been coached by his father throughout his wrestling career.

Johnnie Melzoni

The head coach of the Nolensville High School wrestling team and the father of Brodie Melzoni. Johnnie has coached his son since he started wrestling in first grade.

Barrett Whaley

A wrestler from Knoxville Halls High School who faced off against Brodie Melzoni in the boys Class AA 175-pound state championship match, losing 4-1.

Zachery Little

A wrestler from Summit High School who won his second consecutive TSSAA state championship, this time in the Class AA 157-pound division.

Nate Graham

A wrestler from Station Camp High School who won his second straight TSSAA state title, pinning his opponent in 1:00 in the Class A 113-pound final.

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What they’re saying

“There are pros and cons of him being there. Sometimes he's watching me in practice and I get yelled at. But everything's awesome, it's great having dad as my coach. It makes everything so much easier. There's this great connection wrestling-wise because he's coach and dad.”

— Brodie Melzoni, Nolensville High School Wrestler

“It's emotional. Since he's been in the first grade, we've gone coast-to-coast (wrestling). We've wrestled thousands of matches. In the summer we hit 130 or so. It's nice to finish.”

— Johnnie Melzoni, Nolensville High School Wrestling Coach

“The motivation of not placing pushed me, but I was so stuck on winning. All three years it was 'win, win, win.' I kind of let go of that and let myself go enjoy it. I just went out there and wrestled.”

— Zachery Little, Summit High School Wrestler

What’s next

The Melzoni family will now shift their focus to Brodie's collegiate wrestling career at Davidson College.

The takeaway

Brodie Melzoni's back-to-back state wrestling titles highlight the special father-son dynamic that has fueled his success, as well as Williamson County's continued dominance in the sport. His victory serves as an inspirational story of perseverance and the power of family support.