Coleman Scott has stepped down as the head coach of the University of North Carolina’s wrestling team. UNC posted the open position on Thursday, August 17, and will conduct a two-week, nationwide search.

Scott has yet to announce the next steps in his coaching career. However, this news comes on the heels of long-time Oklahoma State associate head coach Zack Esposito’s move to become USA Wrestling’s Developmental Coach. Scott and Esposito were teammates at Oklahoma State, where both won individual NCAA championships (Esposito in 2005 and Scott in 2008).

Scott served as the head coach of the Tar Heel wrestling program since August 2015 and led the team to five top-20 finishes. In 2023, North Carolina finished in 12th place at the NCAA Tournament - its highest team finish since 1995. Also while Scott was head coach, North Carolina saw 13 wrestlers achieve All-American honors with three reaching the finals and Austin O’Connor winning two NCAA championships.

North Carolina’s All-Americans Under Coleman Scott:

• 2016: Joey Ward, 7th (141) 
• 2018: Troy Heilmann 4th (149)
• 2018: Chip Ness, 7th (184)
• 2019: Austin O’Connor, 3rd (149)
• 2019: Chip Ness, 6th (184)
• 2021: Austin O’Connor, NCAA Champ (149)
• 2021: Zach Sherman, 7th (141)
• 2022: Kizhan Clarke, 2nd (141)
• 2022: Austin O’Connor, 8th (157)
• 2022: Clay Lautt, 8th (174)
• 2023: Austin O’Connor, NCAA Champ (157)
• 2023: Lachlan McNeil, 4th (141)
• 2023: Gavin Kane, 8th (184)

North Carolina’s NCAA Team Finishes under Coleman Scott

• 2016: 32nd
• 2017: 41st
• 2018: 20th
• 2019: 19th
• 2020: NCAA Tournament Cancelled
• 2021: 16th
• 2022: 18th
• 2023: 12th

In the interim period, associate head coach Tony Ramos will take over all responsibilities pertaining to leading the wrestling program. Ramos has been an integral part of the Tar Heel program since joining the coaching staff in 2016 as a volunteer assistant coach. In 2018, Ramos was promoted to a full-time assistant coach in 2018 and again to associate head coach in November of 2019.