One of Minnesota's great college coaches was that of Neil Ladsten at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. Ladsten developed the UMD program from the ground up, developing highly competitive teams competing annually for conference championships and high placing in the NCAA II and NAIA national tournaments. During Ladsten's reign, UMD produced 24 All-Americans, 10 conference championships and three top ten fi nishes in NCAA II national tournaments. He also coached an individual national champion and three runner-ups. Without Neil's coaching ability and commitment none of this would have been possible, according to several of his former wrestlers. Former All-American wrestler Jim Paddock says "Ladsten was the kind of coach that put his athletes first. If you needed academic help, a place to stay or even a summer job he was there to help you." As a football player at UMD, Ladsten was a good one! In l965 he was awarded Freshman "MVP" honors. He earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in l967 and l968. He also served as Team Captain in l968. Ladsten was drafted into the military during the Vietnam conflict. He was part of the U.S. Army military police corp. He returned to UMD to coach and teach in the physical education department. He served as an assistant coach in football and head wrestling coach. Neil married Colleen Johnson in l996, just months prior to his resignation from UMD after a long battle to keep the wrestling program. He then pursued a second career in higher education in the fall of l996 at Lake Superior College, a newly organized community college under the Minnesota State college and university system. He spent eight years, developing a new wellness center and developed a broad based curriculum in Health and Physical Education. He retired in December of 2004. Since retiring Neil has numerous hobbies including fishing on Lake Superior, making things like bird feeders, bat houses, squirrel feeders to flag and firearms display boxes. The success of the University of Minnesota - Duluth wrestling program will be remembered for years to come and the name always associated with that success will be coach Neil Ladsten. Ladsten helped many young men succeed on the mats and in their lives. The UMD wrestling alumni are a proud group that left their mark in the wrestling world. Neil Ladsten directed those accomplishments.