Coach Laden is in his fourth season as an assistant coach with the OU men's wrestling program.
Laden comes to OU from NAIA powerhouse, Grand View University, where he was an assistant coach and graduate assistant coach from 2017 to 2020 with the Vikings. At GVU, Laden helped manage strength and conditioning, practices, recruiting and scheduling. He also supervised wrestling tournaments and fundraisers to help support the program’s budget. Laden also worked directly with the Viking athletes on academic retention, skill development, wrestling techniques, and goal achievement. As a member of the GVU coaching staff, he helped coach 33 NAIA All-Americans, seven NAIA National Champions, and three NAIA National Championship Teams.
While as assistant coach at GVU, Laden was the Freestyle/Greco senior club coach. He trained athletes in folkstyle, freestyle, greco-roman, and grappling. Laden also coached and supervised athletes at senior level tournament such as the U.S. Open, the Bill Farrell Memorial International Open, and the UWW Junior Freestyle World Team Trials.  Prior to that, Laden was a Viking Wrestling Club Coach from 2015 to 2017. He worked directly with the coaching staff to market and promote the Viking Wrestling Club and the wrestling program. Laden coached young athletes and high school wrestlers in the community and provided support to the athletes and parents. He also monitored individual performances during practice sessions working for on suitable form and category for each wrestler.
Laden placed fourth at University of Nationals in 2016 and was a Greco All-American. He was a 2017 NAIA All-American, earning third place. Laden was a 2012 NJCAA All-American, earning fourth place. In high school, he was a All-American and a state champions.
Laden graduated from GVU with a bachelor’s degree in human services in 2017 and a master’s degree in organizational leadership in 2019. He is a graduate of the 2019 FCA Academy in Edwardsville, Ill. Laden was a member of GVU’s 2015, 2016, and 2017 NAIA National Champion men’s wrestling teams. He was a 2022 inductee in the Iowa National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Meseum.
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