R.C. LaHaye - Wrestling Coach - Grand Canyon University Athletics

R.C. LaHaye

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
R.C.LaHaye@gcu.edu
Phone:
602-639-6652

GCU Tenure: 7th year

R.C. LaHaye begins his seventh year as head coach of the Grand Canyon University wrestling program.

The Antelopes embark on their first season in NCAA Division I with the coach that founded the program in 2007 and led it to NCAA Division II prominence.

In the final year of D-II competition, LaHaye had the nation’s best wrestler in NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year, Tyrell Fortune, who became the Antelopes fourth national champion in the last three seasons. GCU finished ninth in the team standings, its third straight Top 10 finish. Mike Hamel earned NCAA II All-America status. LaHaye has coached 13 NCAA All-Americans.

Along with the high marks on the mat, Kyle McCrite, who won a national title in 2012, was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Academic Wrestler of the Year.

In 2012, GCU had two national champions and finished third overall. Along with McCrite, Victor Carazo took the top spot at 174. Two other wrestlers, Bobby Ward and Celic Bell, earned All-America honors. The season also saw the team set a new school mark for dual meet victories with 19.

In its final four seasons in Division II, GCU compiled a 62-23 dual meet record.

The ‘Lopes head coach is also proving to be one of the nation’s top recruiters. His class coming into the 2012-13 season was ranked No. 4 in the nation, while the 2011-12 class was No. 5.

The Antelopes finished seventh in the NCAA Division II championships in 2011, taking seven wrestlers to nationals that year, another program-best.

The team also won the 2011 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season championship. The team finished 17-4 in duals -- second most wins in the nation -- and won the final 14 head-to-head battles.

LaHaye had a decorated wrestling career at Western State College in Gunnison, Colo. At Western State, he was a 2004 NCAA Division II All-American. He was also a three-time NCAA Academic All-American, three-time NCAA National Qualifier, three-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic selection, as well as a Colorado Collegiate Champion. He was a member of the 2004 Western State squad that finished fourth in the nation.

Born and raised in Payson, Ariz., LaHaye wrestled for Payson High School under Hall of Fame coaches Dennis Pirch and Dave Lamotte. He was a three-time state champion and set a state record for career wins. LaHaye was a two-time High School All-American and team captain for three state championship teams.

LaHaye received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Adminstration from Western State College in 2005 and a Masters of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University in 2010.