St. John Fisher University's wrestling program has found its next leader, as Zach Altman has been hired as head coach after a national search.

Altman arrives after spending the 2025-26 season as an assistant at Adrian College and the 2024-25 campaign as head coach at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. He becomes just the second head coach in St. John Fisher's history since the program relaunched in 2022-23, following Ryne Morrison, who himself is a former Adrian assistant.

Altman said he is honored to take over a program that Morrison built into a strong foundation over the past four years, and with the roster in place along with the university's academic and athletic support, he believes the Cardinals are positioned to jump levels immediately.

At Adrian, Altman worked under head coach Bill Schindel and helped guide 165-pounder Aiden Smith to a Central Regional title and NCAA All-American honors this past season, with the Bulldogs climbing as high as No. 18 in the Division III rankings during the year.

His lone season at Pitt-Bradford proved productive as well, as he led the Panthers to a fourth-place finish at the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championships, with four wrestlers reaching the podium. Cameron Carter-Green (285 pounds) and D.J. Slovick (174 pounds) both placed second in their respective weight classes.

Before taking the Pitt-Bradford job, Altman spent part of the 2024-25 season as an assistant at Alma College, and prior to that he coached for three years with the Ringneck Wrestling Club in Napoleon, Ohio.

Altman wrestled for Adrian himself across five seasons, graduating in 2023 after serving as team captain four times and placing at regionals on two occasions. His senior year was his best, as he won a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association title, finished second at regionals and qualified for the NCAA Division III championships at 165 pounds. That same year, Adrian claimed its first MIAA team title since restarting the program in 2015.

Schindel said watching Altman grow over four years as a student-athlete and then thrive as his assistant coach last season left no doubt about what a significant addition he'll be for St. John Fisher, praising his unmatched passion, work ethic and commitment to the sport, along with the genuine care he shows for his athletes. Morrison, who now leads the program at Williams College, said he's thrilled for Altman, citing his character, work ethic and ability to connect with student-athletes as reasons he's confident the best days of Fisher wrestling are still ahead.