Zach TanelliTanelli comes to Columbia after spending the past two years at Purdue, having gotten his start in collegiate coaching at Hofstra.
"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that the administration, staff and supporters of Columbia Wrestling have given me," Tanelli said. "Having grown up in the New York City area, this brings me home. Our road ahead is exciting and challenging, but I can't wait to begin to build relationships with the student-athletes and community behind Columbia University and the Athletic Department."
This past year, Tanelli helped Purdue send three wrestlers to the NCAA Championships at Madison Square Garden, with two of those qualifiers earning automatic bids from the Big Ten Championships. Seniors Danny Sabatello and Chad Welch led the way, as Tanelli helped the pair take fifth at 141 and 165, respectively, during the conference tournament. Tanelli left the Boilermakers in good shape, as FloWrestling ranked Purdue with the sixth best recruiting class of 2016.
During his first season with the Boilermakers, Tanelli saw eight wrestlers advance to the 2015 NCAA Championships after five grapplers took home podium finishes at the Big Ten Championships. Purdue spent seven weeks on the USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll, finishing the season ranked 23rd. The 2014-15 dual season saw Purdue win 10 duals, including six home dual victories, which was the most in Holloway Gymnasium since the 2005-06 season.
Tanelli joined the Boilermaker wrestling program after a five-year coaching stint at Hofstra from 2009-14. During his time with the Pride, Tanelli worked his way up the coaching ranks, serving as interim head coach prior to his stint at Purdue. He was the head assistant coach for the two previous seasons after spending his first three years as an assistant at Hofstra.
The former Badger made an impact throughout Hofstra's lineup, particularly in the lower weights. Tanelli coached four All-Americans, while the Pride won three-straight Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) team titles from 2011-13 before moving to the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) in 2013-14. Hofstra placed fourth with two finalists during Tanelli's time coaching in the EIWA, including the 165-pound champion, Joseph Booth.
While in the CAA, seven Hofstra athletes claimed tournament crowns under the guidance of Tanelli, including a pair of two-time champs. In addition, five other wrestlers claimed individual CAA titles during his stint.
Tanelli wrestled the first three years of his Wisconsin career at 133 pounds and bumped up to 141 for his senior campaign in 2009. He was a two-time NCAA qualifier at 133 and earned a spot on the 141 podium with a fourth-place finish to earn All-America accolades. Tanelli wrapped up his senior season with a 31-6 record, including a perfect 7-0 mark against Big Ten foes. He was ranked No. 1 at his weight for the second half of the 2008-09 season after winning the 141-pound Midlands Championship, before becoming the runner-up at the Big Ten Championships.
A native of Millburn, New Jersey, Tanelli earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Wisconsin in 2009 and his master's degree in higher educational leadership and policy studies from Hofstra in 2012.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now