ORLANDO, Fla. - April 26 wouldn't just mark a single win for UCF baseball, when it knocked off Memphis 12-11. Instead, the thriller would also serve as a history mark: head coach Greg Lovelady's 100th win.
- Lovelady in third season as UCF head coach
- Named 2017 AAC Coach of the Year
- UCF 29-19 this season
In less than three full seasons, he's the fastest in program history to reach that mark.
“I don’t think you really remember how many wins you have," the 40-year-old Lovelady said in the days after. "The players aren’t going to remember the wins. They’re going to remember the moments. They’re going to remember playing in regionals. Those are the things that really resonate with me."
Between the first NCAA Tournament bid in 2017, the AAC Coach of the Year accolade and plenty of other achievements, Lovelady has a lot to be proud of. But he doesn't let those accomplishments bog his team down.
“We preach a lot about being present, trying to do everything we can to win that pitch. I think as a coach, it would be hard for me to preach that if I’m not working on it and striving to do that as well,” he said.
The approach is his method to his madness. He's averaging nearly more than 40 wins per game as a head coach across tenures with UCF and Wright State, and much of that is due to his familiarity with what the modern game requires.
“I still haven’t lost touch with what it’s like to be a student-athlete," the Miamia alum said. "I do my best to try and make sure the kids understand how much I care about them, and how much my family cares about them, and how much we’re here to help them.”
It's why it's routine to see him out hitting batting practice with a pro wrestling t-shirt on, or joking around with players before a game. And when it comes time to discipline, he's prepared to do that as well.
“We have to be loose and free. We have to be able to not be scared to fail. Not be scared of moments," Lovelady said. "So I want the kids to be super competitive, I want them to care a lot, but at the same time, I want them to have fun."
In his mind, baseball needs to be fun. While traditionalists often urge in one direction, he feels those involved need to remember what the game is at its core: a game.
“It's just a game at the end of the day. And you gotta go out there and enjoy yourself and have fun, and allow yourself to be the best version of you," he said. "And I think enjoying this game is the first step in doing that.”
So with his team trying to make a run for an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament at 29-19, Lovelady is able to stay in the moment. And he hopes there are plenty more to come.
"We can’t do anything without all the people that partake in this," Lovelady said. "It’s a lot of fun, and hopefully that we continue to grow the program and continue to do great things, and I’m looking forward to 100 more wins."