R.C. LaHaye enters his eighth season as head coach of the Lander wrestling program in 2026-27. Since being hired as the program's first head coach in July 2018, LaHaye has built the Bearcats into one of the premier NCAA Division II wrestling programs in the nation.
Under LaHaye's leadership, Lander has captured five consecutive conference championships, four NCAA Super Region II titles and made four consecutive top-five finishes at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, including national runner-up finishes in 2023 and 2024, a fourth-place finish in 2025, and a fifth-place finish in 2026. The Bearcats have produced 22 NCAA All-Americans, four NCAA individual national champions and seven NCAA national finalists during his tenure. LaHaye has also coached 35 NCAA All-Americans and eight NCAA individual national champions throughout his collegiate coaching career. A four-time NWCA Super Region II Coach of the Year, three-time Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year and the 2023 NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, LaHaye has established Lander as one of the nation's elite wrestling programs.
The 2025-26 season saw Lander set a program record with 21 dual victories while completing its third consecutive undefeated conference season. The Bearcats claimed their fifth straight conference championship and fourth consecutive NCAA Super Region II title before sending nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Five wrestlers earned All-America honors, highlighted by David Hunsberger winning his third consecutive NCAA title and being named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler, while James Joplin finished as a national runner-up.
LaHaye led the Bearcats to national prominence during the 2022-23 season, guiding Lander to its first NCAA Division II national runner-up finish. Since then, the Bearcats have remained among the nation's elite, winning conference championships every season and consistently ranking among the top teams in Division II.
Before arriving at Lander, LaHaye spent four seasons as associate head coach at Newberry College, helping guide the Wolves to three ECAC championships and an NCAA Super Region Championship. Prior to Newberry, he founded Grand Canyon University's wrestling program, leading the Antelopes for seven seasons. During his tenure, Grand Canyon won the 2011 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship, recorded three top-10 NCAA Division II finishes and produced four NCAA individual national champions and 13 All-Americans.
A native of Payson, Ariz., LaHaye was a standout wrestler at Western State College (now Western Colorado University), where he earned NCAA Division II All-America honors in 2004. He was also a three-time NCAA Academic All-American, three-time NCAA National Qualifier and three-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selection. LaHaye earned a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from Western State in 2005 before completing a Master of Science in leadership from Grand Canyon University in 2010.
Grand Canyon University (7 Seasons) 77-55, 29-26 RMAC
Lander University (5 Seasons) 95-27, 53-3 SACC/CC
Total: 172-82 Overall, 82-29 Conference Record
