NEW YORK -- Zach Tanelli, Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling for Columbia University over the past eight seasons, has announced his resignation. A national search for a replacement will commence immediately.

"Zach brought our wrestling program to new heights, and we are grateful for all his contributions to Columbia," Campbell Family Director of Athletics and Physical Education Peter Pilling said. "We wish Zach and his family all the best in his future endeavors. Moving forward, we are committed to finding the right person to guide our student-athletes in our quest to win Ivy League Championships, excel at the national level and help them succeed in the Columbia community."

Tanelli raised the profile of Columbia wrestling by garnering multiple top-30 team rankings and sending 20 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, including the program's first All-American in 11 years after Lennox Wolak placed sixth in the 174-pound weight class at the event in 2024. The Lions boasted a pair of EIWA Championships for the first time since 1935 after Wolak and Aaron Ayzerov (184 pounds) accomplished the feat this past season, bringing Tanelli's total to five EIWA crowns during his tenure. Tanelli was responsible for five of Columbia's nine total EIWA Champions over a 75-year span.

Tanelli set multiple school records during his tenure, including winning the most Division I dual meets in program history in 2019. He also guided the Lions to the most EIWA dual meet wins in a single season in 2020. Columbia posted a fourth-place finish at the 2023 and 2024 EIWA Championships, which is the best finish at the event in program history. Columbia finished in the top five at the EIWA Championships the last three years of Tanelli's tenure. Six members of the 2023 squad advanced to the NCAA Championships, marking another benchmark for the program. Columbia earned its highest dual meet victory ever over No. 15 Northern Iowa on December 10, 2023.

Academically, the Lions were recognized as a top-30 NCAA Scholar All-American Team six times during his time leading the program, highlighting 18 individual Academic All-Americans.

"My family and I are extremely proud of what we have built here at Columbia," said Tanelli. New York City is the greatest city in the world, and for me, Columbia wrestling has been the heart of it for the past eight years. I have never poured myself into one cause so deeply, and I am grateful to have done so with these student-athletes."

"Columbia wrestling is a program of hard-working student-athletes with courage and resolve. We've sought out and competed with the best teams in college wrestling. I am honored to have raised the expectations with this team. Thank you to the administration, staff, student-athletes, families, and Columbia alumni community."