Release courtesy of Franklin & Marshall Athletic Communications
LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall Director of Athletics & Recreation Patricia S.W. Epps has announced the hiring of Brad Brubaker as the Franklin & Marshall softball head coach. Brubaker becomes the 12th coach in the program's 41-year history.
"We enthusiastically welcome Coach Brubaker, who brings a wealth of experience in all levels of softball, including NCAA, PIAA, and Junior Olympic Club teams," said Epps. "He is a devoted fan of the sport of softball and will bring his unique experience in the business world to provide valuable leadership training to F&M's student-athletes."
Brubaker heads to Lancaster after spending the previous three seasons as the assistant softball coach at Messiah College where his primary responsibilities included the development of the program's outfielders, as well as assisting in recruiting efforts. The Falcons have enjoyed perennial success under Brubaker's tutelage, winning the 2018 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Commonwealth Championship, earning a pair of bids into the NCAA Tournament, and reaching as high as the No. 3 ranking in the nation.
"I am privileged and excited to join the F&M family and be a part of the Diplomat athletic program," said Brubaker. "F&M represents the best of combining academics and athletics to provide a rewarding and developmental experience for its student-athletes. I wish to thank Director of Athletics & Recreation Patty Epps and the entire search committee for the opportunity to represent the College, build a winning culture on and off the field, and to engage the College's student-athletes at a critical time in their lives as young adults."
Before Messiah, Brubaker was the head softball coach at Lancaster Bible College from 2014-16 where he helped resurrect a program that had returned to varsity status for the first time in 12 years. He built the Chargers into a competitive program before stepping down in May 2016 as the softball team's winningest coach. Brubaker's collegiate coaching experience also includes a pair of stints at Elizabethtown College as an assistant from 1990-92 and 2005-09.
His vast, 28 years of coaching experience extends to the high school level where he was at the helm of Lancaster Mennonite from 2011-13, as well as Columbia High School in 2010.
Brubaker has also held roles with several club programs, including the Pennsylvania Shooting Stars 18U Showcase Team, the Keystone Krush, the Lancaster Lazers, and the Donegal FastPitch Indians. Those programs garnered 22 top-three tournament finishes, including 15 appearances in championship games, notching seven tournament titles.
In addition to his coaching experience, Brubaker has enjoyed a successful 32-year business career, most recently at Lydall Performance Materials, Inc. in Lancaster as a Global Sales and Marketing Executive.
Brubaker, who resides in Lancaster, graduated from Elizabethtown College in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Corporate Communications.