Tony Ramos
Tony Ramos joined the UNC coaching staff in 2016 as a volunteer assistant and was promoted to assistant coach in 2018. In November 2019, he was promoted to associate head coach. He is a 2014 graduate of the University of Iowa.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Carolina clinched a share of the ACC regular season title, the 19th in program history and the first since the 2018-19 campaign. The Tar Heels qualified eight for the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia, the most since 2021. At the national tournament, Lachlan McNeil earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish at 149 pounds, becoming the sixth Tar Heel with three-or-more All-America finishes.
In 2024, the Tar Heels had their most dual victories since 2019-20. Individually, five Carolina wrestlers earned berths to the NCAA Championships in Kansas City, with Lachlan McNeil collecting All-America honors for the second-straight season.
In 2023, Ramos helped North Carolina secure its seventh individual National Champion, as Austin O'Connor was victorious at 157-pounds, the second individual title of his career. O'Connor's finish made him the first wrestler in program history to garner All-America honors five times, with Lachlan McNeil and Gavin Kane adding podium finishes for UNC's best team finish since 1995.
A native of Carol Stream, Illinois, Ramos was a three-time state champion at Glenbard North before embarking upon a decorated college stint at Iowa. Ramos was a three-time All-American for the Hawkeyes, capping his NCAA career by winning the 2014 NCAA title at 133 pounds. He was Iowa's Male Athlete of the Year, leaving Iowa City with a career record of 120-14.
On the international stage, Ramos placed fifth at the Junior World Championships in 2009 and has been a staple on USA Wrestling teams over the last several years. A two-time U.S. World Team Trials champion, Ramos officially retired from competition in May 2019.
Ramos is married to the former Megan Eskew, a volleyball team captain while at Iowa, and the couple has two sons, A.J. and Lincoln, and two daughters, Calla and Molly.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Carolina clinched a share of the ACC regular season title, the 19th in program history and the first since the 2018-19 campaign. The Tar Heels qualified eight for the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia, the most since 2021. At the national tournament, Lachlan McNeil earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish at 149 pounds, becoming the sixth Tar Heel with three-or-more All-America finishes.
In 2024, the Tar Heels had their most dual victories since 2019-20. Individually, five Carolina wrestlers earned berths to the NCAA Championships in Kansas City, with Lachlan McNeil collecting All-America honors for the second-straight season.
In 2023, Ramos helped North Carolina secure its seventh individual National Champion, as Austin O'Connor was victorious at 157-pounds, the second individual title of his career. O'Connor's finish made him the first wrestler in program history to garner All-America honors five times, with Lachlan McNeil and Gavin Kane adding podium finishes for UNC's best team finish since 1995.
A native of Carol Stream, Illinois, Ramos was a three-time state champion at Glenbard North before embarking upon a decorated college stint at Iowa. Ramos was a three-time All-American for the Hawkeyes, capping his NCAA career by winning the 2014 NCAA title at 133 pounds. He was Iowa's Male Athlete of the Year, leaving Iowa City with a career record of 120-14.
On the international stage, Ramos placed fifth at the Junior World Championships in 2009 and has been a staple on USA Wrestling teams over the last several years. A two-time U.S. World Team Trials champion, Ramos officially retired from competition in May 2019.
Ramos is married to the former Megan Eskew, a volleyball team captain while at Iowa, and the couple has two sons, A.J. and Lincoln, and two daughters, Calla and Molly.
