Brad Brubaker returned to Messiah University for his second stint on the softball coaching staff in 2025, helping guide the Falcons to a standout season that included the MAC Commonwealth regular season title and postseason tournament championship, a trip to the Virginia Beach Regional Final of the NCAA Division III Tournament, and the program’s first 35-win campaign since 2017. Under his direction, outfielders Brielle Rosario and Ali Wagner both earned postseason recognition - Rosario was named to the NFCA All Mid-Atlantic Region Team and received MAC Commonwealth honors, while Wagner was selected to the Virginia Beach All-Regional Team. It marked the second time Brubaker has coached an NCAA All-Regional honoree, with Samantha Esper earning the distinction during Messiah’s 2018 postseason run.
Now entering his 18th year of collegiate coaching, Brubaker has developed a strong track record of player success, including five conference Players of the Week - most recently Brielle Rosario in 2026 - three conference Pitchers of the Week, and one national Player of the Week, and Messiah outfielder Haylee Anders, who was named FPN Division III National Player of the Week in 2018. Over his career, he has coached one All-American, one Academic All-American, nine NFCA All-Region selections, and 22 All-Conference honorees.
Before returning to Messiah, Brubaker spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Lancaster Catholic High School, where the Crusaders went 25–16 and reached the PIAA District 3 Class AAA Tournament in back-to-back years.
From 2019 to 2022, Brubaker served as head coach at Franklin & Marshall College, becoming just the third coach in program history to post winning records in each of his first two seasons. His tenure included a runner-up finish in the 2021 Centennial Conference and the development of the program’s first-ever All-American, outfielder Jamie Belfer, who earned First Team Academic All-American and First Team All-Region honors. In total, he coached two First Team All-Region and four All-Centennial Conference selections at F&M.
Brubaker previously led the softball program at Lancaster Bible College from 2013 to 2016, departing as the program’s all-time wins leader. His teams produced the school’s first NFCA All-Northeast Region honoree and a NCCAA First Team All-American.
During his first tenure at Messiah from 2017 to 2019, Brubaker oversaw the outfield and slappers, contributing to an 80–48 overall record, the 2018 Commonwealth Conference championship, and two NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. All three starting outfielders earned All-Conference honors in his first season, and the unit posted a .964 fielding percentage. He also coached 2017 Commonwealth Conference Rookie of the Year slapper Samantha Esper.
Brubaker began his coaching career at his alma mater, Elizabethtown College, where he served two separate stints as lead assistant - first from 1990–1992 and again from 2006–2009. Across those seven seasons, he helped guide the Blue Jays to three postseason appearances, including MAC runner-up finishes in 1992 and 2008, and coached three Regional All-Americans and five All-Conference outfielders.
His scholastic head coaching background includes postseason appearances at both Columbia High School and Lancaster Mennonite High School. He also brings extensive Junior Olympic travel coaching experience, having led teams to seven tournament championships and 22 top-three finishes over a five-year span.
Brubaker resides in Lancaster and holds a degree in business administration from Elizabethtown College.
Rev. 3/26/26
