Albion has tabbed Payne Hayden as its new head women's wrestling coach. His first day is scheduled for June 1.

Hayden arrives in Albion from Machine Shed Wrestling, a club team based in Tecumseh, Mich., where he has served as co-head coach and director of operations since 2022. He has trained more than 100 boys and girls wrestlers ages 7-18 from southern Michigan through the club.

During the 2025-26 season, Hayden worked with 15 state champions, more than 25 MHSAA state finalists and 50 state placers.

Hayden has contributed to the development of wrestlers who have advanced to the collegiate level at institutions that include Davenport, Cleary, Adrian, GVSU, Siena Heights, Central Michigan, Michigan State, Michigan and Albion while working alongside Briton men's wrestling alumni CJ Krum and Bode Brown.

In recent years, Hayden coached two 14U girls freestyle national champions, a 16U All-American and three women's/girl's division Grappler Fall Classic winners as well as multiple MHSAA girls wrestling state placers and finalists.

"I am so excited to have Payne join our athletic department," Albion director of athletics Jennifer Rushton said. "Payne is an accomplished club coach in the state of Michigan and comes highly recommended by those I spoke with. He is committed to growing the sport of women's wrestling, and I look forward to working with Payne as he builds our program."

Prior to Machine Shed Wrestling, Hayden was a volunteer assistant coach at Ypsilanti High School during the 2017-18 season where he worked under Regional Coach of the Year Claudell Ruffin. He helped the Phoenix to the MHSAA team regional finals despite only having wrestlers in only eight of the 14 weight classes.

Hayden wrestled at the University of Michigan for four years from 2013-17, where his father, Jon Hayden, also competed. As a heavyweight, he notched a career record of 17-17 with six pins and served as the training partner for three-time All-American Adam Coon, who went onto earn a silver medal in Greco-Roman at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships at 130 kilograms.

The St. Johns, Mich., native was a four-time all-state wrestler at St. Johns High School where he graduated in 2013. While with the Redwings, Hayden won the MHSAA state title at 189 pounds as a senior, claimed second as a junior and third as both a freshman and a sophomore. He ended his career with a 189-22 record, was a four-time all-conference selection (including two first-team honors), and was ranked as the nation's No. 98 overall recruit by InterMat and the No. 12-ranked 195-pound wrestler. Additionally, Hayden was a member of the National Honor Society and received the Senior Scholar Award.

Hayden placed at multiple prestigious national events throughout his prep career, including a fourth-place finish at Super 32, sixth-place finishes in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at U17 Nationals, a runner-up finish at U20 Greco-Roman Nationals and first in freestyle and second in Greco-Roman at the 2013 U20 FILA Junior Pan-American Games. Additionally, he was a two-time Fargo All-American and FILA Cadet All-American in freestyle.

Hayden graduated from Michigan in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in cognitive science. Him and his wife, Kendall Taylor, reside in Tecumseh with their four-year-old daughter, Dani.

Hayden is the third head coach in program history, succeeding Adam Wilson (2021-25) and Jolynn Harris (2025-26).

"I am privileged to be stepping into this position at Albion College," Hayden said. "I appreciate [director of athletics] Jennifer Rushton and her staff for providing me with this opportunity to guide these student-athletes. I look forward to working with the women on the team, the administration, the student body and the alumni as we continue to build a program around the key values of discipline, growth and excellence."