Year Inducted: 2019
Nominated By: Elly Naill
Sports Competed In: Wrestlling
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Coach
Pat Laughlin
High School:
Attended Pueblo East High School from 1976-79... Was a member of the Eagles wrestling team for four years.
College:
Went to the University of Northern Colorado for two years (1979-81) and Adams State College for two more years (1983-85) and was a member of each school's wrestling programs.
Achievements:
Coaching:
● Current head wrestling coach at Pueblo East H.S.
● His teams have won eight (8) South-Central League (S-CL) championships, seven (7) Regional titles, five (5) Regional runner-up finishes.
● Has turned out 156 state qualifiers, 52 state placers and nine (9) state champions.
● 4A State Champions: First in school history (2019).
● Regional and S-CL Champions (2019).
● Coached Pueblo East H.S., 3-time state champion, Andy Garcia (2019).
● Coached 4-time state place winners Jace Trujillo & Zion Freeman (2019).
● State runner-up 4A: 2nd place by .5 of a point (2018).
● Regional and S-CL Champions (2018).
● Coached Pueblo East H.S., first 4-time state placer Andrew Lucero (2018).
● Coached Pueblo East H.S., All-Americans Andrew Lucero, Andy Garcia, Ryan Roth, Aaden Valdez (2017-18).
● Regional Champions; Finished 4th in state 4A wrestling championships (2017).
● Regional Champions; Finished 5th in state 4A wrestling championships (2016).
● Regional Champions; Finished 8th in state 4A wrestling championships (2015).
● Placed 3rd in Regionals; Finished 10th at state 4A wrestling championships (2014).
Honors:
● Inducted to the Colorado Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2019).
● Selected by Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) 4A-5A "Coach-of-the-Year" (2019).
● Selected by National Wrestling Hall of Fame 4A-5A High School "Coach-of-the-Year" (2019).
● Selected by Colorado High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) 4A "Coach-of-the-Year" (2019).
● The Pueblo Chieftain "Coach-of-the-Year" (2019).
● Selected by Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) 4A-5A "Coach-of-the-Year" (2018).
● Selected by National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) 4A "Coach-of-the-Year" (2018).
● Selected Southwest section "Coach of the Year" Southwest Region includes states of Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas (2018).
● Selected CHSCA All-State games coach (2014).
● Selected Officials Evaluator, NCAA Division II Championships (1998).
● USA Wrestling- Published Outstanding Wrestling Publication (1995).
● Selected Officials Evaluator, NCAA Division II Championships (1994).
Professional Affiliations and Achievements:
● Member of the Colorado High School Coaches Association (CHSCA).
● Selected to coach Team Colorado at National Duels in Indiana.
● Selected to coach-All-State games.
● USA Wrestling-Bronze coaching card holder.
Personal:
Life-long resident of Pueblo and is married to his wife Rose.
