Marion AD, girls’ basketball coach Corby Laube on administrative leave

CEDAR RAPIDS - Marion High School girls' basketball coach and activities director Corby Laube is on administrative leave, The Gazette has learned, though the reasons for the leave are unclear, as is if he will remain at the school.

Marion principal Greg Semler declined to comment on Laube, referring The Gazette to the school district. Acting Marion Superintendent Janelle Brouwer wrote in an email that all personnel records are confidential, referring to Iowa Code Section 22.7(11).

When asked if she could confirm Laube's leave, she replied in an email:

'I am able to provide the following information as a part of Mr. Laube's email auto-reply which states: Hello, I am currently out on leave. ...”

A phone call Wednesday afternoon to Laube went unanswered. He did not immediately reply to a text asking about the administrative leave and his future at the school.

Laube, 44, has done double-duty as Marion's athletics director and girls' basketball coach since May 2012. His last four teams have reached the state tournament, highlighted by a 26-0, Class 4A championship season in 2017-18.

That team featured both of his daughters, Mia (now a freshman at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota) and Kayba (a junior and a University of Northern Iowa commit). The Indians were 4A runners-up in 2017 and 2019, falling in the finals both times to North Scott.

Laube was The Gazette girls' basketball coach of the year in 2016 and 2018. He holds a 129-40 record in seven seasons as the girls' coach, and the winning should continue next season behind the trio of Kayba Laube, Riley Wright and Ella Van Weelden.

He was the boys' basketball coach at Marion from 1999 through 2008, compiling a mark of 119-81. He stepped down in 2008 to take the AD position.

A native of Denver, Iowa, Laube graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Mercy University in 1996 and obtained his Master's Degree from Coe College in 2005. He played basketball at Mount Mercy, where he scored 1,559 career points. Laube was a senior on the 1995-96 Mount Mercy basketball team that won 29 games, a conference championship and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NAIA national tournament. He was inducted into the Mount Mercy College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Gazette's Jeff Linder contributed to this report.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com