Nova hires Luebkert to replace McQuaid as coach
After spending 23 years as an assistant coach, Brian Luebkert will get a chance to take over the Nova baseball program.
The Titans hired Luebkert as the school’s new baseball coach, announcing his hire on Twitter. Luebkert takes over the program after Pat McQuaid retired following his 44th season as Nova’s coach.
“We’re just going to keep the strong Nova tradition alive,” Luebkert said. “We’re going to with the things that we’ve been, and we’re going to make some minor adjustments here and there, but I’m here just to continue the legacy that coach McQuaid has built. And the future looks very bright.”
Luebkert follows McQuaid, who won 945 games as the Titans head coach. McQuaid announced his retirement in November but did not get to finish his final season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nova finished the abbreviated season 4-5.
McQuaid won 18 district titles, two state championships and a national title at Nova. He has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“He’s a guy that’s been dedicated to Nova baseball for the last 20 years as an assistant to coach Pat [McQuaid],” athletic director Jason Hively said. “He’s a guy that shows up to the ballpark every day, has a good rapport with the kids, knows the traditions and what Nova baseball is all about.”
High school baseball isn’t scheduled to begin until Feb. 15, but the coronavirus pandemic has already delayed the start of in-person schooling and the fall sports season.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in society, [not just} sports and high school, so it’s going to be very difficult and we’re just going to be on a wait-and-see basis,” Luebkert said.