When Rande Stottlemyer took the Pitt wrestling head coaching job in 1979, he had to rebuild one of the most historic wrestling programs in the nation.

Now, 34 years after taking over the reins and succeeding in recapturing the respectability of a program that, in its earliest years, was a consistent top-10 finisher, Stottlemyer is contemplating retirement.

“We had a team dinner with alumni, fans and parents the night before the [NCAA championship] finals, and he stood up and dedicated all our year’s success to our three assistants,” senior Zac Thomusseit said. “He said he is going to take a little time and figure out his future with his family.”

Even those closest to the program still wonder if Stottlemyer, 54, plans to return for another season, but some have begun to accept that the successful coach, who declined to comment for this story, may be moving on after he recently named associate head coach Jason Peters the head-coach-in-waiting.

Peters has been on Stottlemyer’s staff for 11 years and has served as the top assistant coach for the last 10.

“The future of the program is in good hands with Peters,” senior Matt Wilps said.

Unlike All-Americans Wilps and Thomusseit, redshirt junior P.J. Tasser returns to Pitt next year. If the Panthers do have a new head coach, he said, the hard-working mentality that Stottlemyer instilled in them will remain.

“Our program has been putting in the man-hours the past few years and things are paying off,” Tasser said. “There is no doubt in my mind that next year, even with the transition to the ACC, that our team will be good.”

The chance to potentially take over the successful Pitt wrestling program excites Peters, whether the transition next season or a few years from now.

“Any time you have the opportunity to be a part of a program that has success, if you can continue to keep doing what you’ve been doing, it’s exciting,” he said.

Stottlemyer, a three-time All-American during his wrestling career at Pitt, which concluded in 1978, has coached 22 All-Americans. And unlike many older coaches, Stottlemyer has had some of his best teams recently. The past two have finished 15th in the nation.

The veteran coach guided Pitt to three Eastern Wrestling League tournament titles and three EWL dual match titles in the past four years.

Wilps, a third-place finisher at nationals this year, said he was pushed to the limit of his potential by his veteran coach.

“Coach Stottlemyer helped me cope with the weight of the season and revealed traits in me that define who I am,” he said.

Thomusseit, who became Stottlemyer’s 22nd All-American last month, feels honored to have added to the coach’s impressive resumé.

“If it was his last year, it would be special to be a part of his final coaching season,” he said. “I would be glad that I was able to add another All-American to his accolades.”

The senior also praised Stottlemyer for motivating him to become an All-American wrestler and, ultimately, a better person.

“The most important thing I learned from Rande was that the only way to succeed is to do it the hard way and gut it out,” Thomusseit said. “You can’t take any shortcuts. You have to make the best of every opportunity that is given to you.”

If he does step aside from coaching, don’t expect to see Stottlemyer disappear from the Pitt wrestling scene.

“Rande will always be a part of Pitt wrestling,” Peters said. “That’ll never go away, whether he’s the Pitt wrestling coach or not. I’m sure he’ll be involved with us in some capacity. We would be crazy not to have him.”