A native of Statesville, North Carolina, Mike Carey attended West Iredell High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete, lettering in four sports. Recruited by Coach Bryan Tutterow, Carey joined the wrestling team during his senior year. After graduating in 1992, he began his college career at Mars Hill College, where he played football before transferring to Appalachian State University. He earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Appalachian and later completed a master’s degree in Health, Physical Education, and Coaching from Emporia State University in 2009.

Graduating from Appalachian State in 1997, Carey began his teaching and coaching career at Newton-Conover Middle School. From 1998 to 2008, he coached football and wrestling and served as Athletic Director. In wrestling, his Newton-Conover Middle teams won nine conference championships in ten seasons.

In 2008, Carey accepted a teaching position and became the head wrestling coach at Fred T. Foard High School in Catawba County. Inheriting only six returning wrestlers from the previous season, the Tigers had not qualified a wrestler for the state tournament in three years. In just two seasons, Foard won a share of the conference championship for the first time in school history. This set in motion 14 consecutive conference championships. Foard captured its first NCHSAA state title in 2011. From 2011 to 2023, when Carey retired, Foard won nine NCHSAA State Championships and finished as state runners-up three times. Carey and Foard’s nine NCHSAA state titles rank third-most all-time in North Carolina high school wrestling history. Foard also produced 12 individual state champions during his tenure.  During his career, Carey led two unbeaten teams and four teams that went unbeaten against North Carolina opponents. In his final four seasons, Foard suffered just one loss to an in-state opponent, and his final record as head wrestling coach was an impressive 479–47.

In addition to being honored as a 2025 National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, Carey served on the North Carolina Wrestling Coaches Board from 2015 to 2023 and was named the 2023 NCHSAA Harvey Reid Coach of the Year for all male sports in North Carolina. Throughout his coaching career, he received numerous conference and state Coach of the Year awards, as well as the NFHS South Regional Coach of the Year honor in 2022.

In 2023, Carey decided to retire so he could watch his son Brock wrestle in college. Brock was an undefeated state champion as a senior, a three-time state finalist, and a four-time placer. His daughter, Taylor, was a team mat girl at Foard and a table worker at the state tournament. Mike’s wife, Kelly, contributed by helping with team photos and social media.