Apr 8, 2013 2 min read

PITTSBURGH – Longtime Pittsburgh wrestling coach Randy Stottlemyer is calling it a career.

Stottlemyer announced his retirement Monday after 34 years coaching the Panthers, though he will stay on as senior adviser for Olympic Sports.

Pitt went 304-230-12 under Stottlemyer’s watch. During his tenure, the Panthers produced 33 All-Americans and three national champions.

Stottlemyer, a resident of Charleroi, produced 56 Eastern Wrestling League individual champions and was named the EWL Coach of the Year five times.

“I would like to thank the University of Pittsburgh for the great opportunity they gave me as a young man, fresh out of college,” Stottlemyer said. “I have been blessed to have lived my passion for 35 years. I hope in that time I have been able to make a positive impact on a lot of young men’s lives. It has been an honor to be their coach and to promote the great sport of wrestling.”

Stottlemyer had just wrapped up a strong recruiting class that included Canon-McMillan senior Cody Wiercioch, a three-time PIAA champion and one-time runner-up.

Pitt won three EWL titles in Stottlemyer’s last four seasons as head coach and finished the 2012-13 season ranked 15th in the country. The Panthers were also 15th in the 2011-2012 season.

Stottlemyer was a three-time All-American while wrestling at Pitt from 1974-78 then spent one season as an assistant before taking over as head coach.

Stottlemyer will be replaced by Jason Peters, who spent the last 10 seasons as an assistant under Stottlemyer.

Peters played a vital role in the Panthers’ impressive run of success as a lead recruiter and trainer. A 1998 graduate of East Stroudsburg University, Peters becomes the 10th head coach in Pitt wrestling history.

Matt Kocher, a former Pitt All-America wrestler who has served as an assistant coach the past four seasons, also will continue on the staff.