Estacado High’s Mark Llanas Announces End of Tenure as Baseball Coach
Today (May 4), Mark Llanas announced this will be his final year as head baseball coach at Lubbock Independent School District’s (Lubbock ISD) Estacado High School (EHS). Llanas has led the program at EHS for the past 16 years since becoming head coach during the 2010-2011 season.
“Coach Llanas has been more than a coach at Estacado High School. He has been a pillar of leadership, a mentor, and a champion for our students and community,” said Dr. Angelica Wilbanks, EHS principal. “For more than two decades, he has built a legacy defined not only by wins and championships, but by the lives he has impacted and the standard of excellence he has set. We are incredibly grateful for his dedication to Estacado and wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in this next chapter.”
Under Llanas’ leadership, the Matadors achieved 14 playoff appearances, including three District Championships, eight Bi-District Championships, six Area Championships, and three Regional Quarterfinal appearances. In total, he has 296 career wins, and, over the years, saw several of his players achieve numerous All-City and All-State honors.
“What Mark Llanas has built at Estacado over 23 years — first as an assistant and then as head coach — is a testament to his commitment to this school, this community, and these kids. You don’t get 14 playoff appearances and nearly 300 wins without consistency, dedication, and a standard of excellence that players believe in,” said Mike Meeks, Lubbock ISD Athletics Director. “We’re proud to have had him represent Lubbock ISD and wish him all the best going forward.”
Llanas has dedicated the past 23 years to coaching at EHS, including serving as an assistant pitching coach for the seven years prior to becoming head coach. He is a 2003 graduate of Lubbock Christian University, where he earned his degree in physical education and was a pitcher for the Chaparrals baseball team.
He and his wife, Valerie, have been married for 17 years and have three sons: Royceton, Nolan, and Lennon. In addition to coaching at EHS, Llanas currently teaches Advanced Placement World History and AVID courses.
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to coach the sport I love for so many years and will always cherish the time I’ve spent leading and mentoring numerous generations of students at Estacado,” said Llanas. “I look forward to continuing teaching and supporting the Matadors as Valerie and I spend more time supporting our sons in their academic and athletic pursuits.”
More information will be shared at a later date regarding the hiring of the next EHS baseball coach for the 2026-2027 academic year.
About Lubbock ISD
Lubbock Independent School District is the largest K-12 public education provider in the surrounding area, educating more than 23,000 students. Its mission is to nurture, develop and inspire every child, every day. Guiding that mission are three leadership pillars – Develop Leaders, Love People and Value Data – which aim to empower staff to their full potential, embrace our community and cultivate student success at every level. With a wide range of academic and career programming, the district has innovated itself to provide growth opportunities for students and staff alike.
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