At the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (MTCCCA) annual conference and clinic, Ladue Horton Watkins High School’s track and field program earned statewide recognition as two of its coaches were honored for excellence, leadership, and impact. Head Coach Nick Buckvar and Assistant Coach Virgil Lucas were recognized for their dedication to student-athletes and for building a program rooted in both competitive success and strong values.

Coach Buckvar was named the 2025 Missouri Girls Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. This recognition follows an outstanding 2025 season in which the Ladue girls team captured the Missouri Class 5 State Championship, scoring 81 points and winning the team title by a commanding 20-point margin. Ladue athletes contributed across multiple events, including sprints, relays, jumps, throws, and middle-distance races. Senior Delaney Brinker won both the 400-meter and 200-meter dashes, with teammate Laila Murray finishing just behind her in second place in both events. The Rams also claimed state titles in the 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relays, setting a state record for the second consecutive year in the 4x400-meter relay. The championship marked the program’s second consecutive state title and fourth overall.

Coach Lucas, a longtime member of the Rams track and field coaching staff, received the Charlie Finch Distinguished Coach Award, which recognizes assistant coaches for exceptional contributions to the sport. This prestigious honor is awarded to coaches who demonstrate outstanding leadership and a deep commitment to caring for their athletes.

Under Coach Lucas’s guidance, Ladue’s jumpers have earned numerous accolades, including seven All-State honors over the past two seasons. In 2024, he coached Bella Jones to a state championship in the high jump. In 2025, Zoey Brinker concluded her high school career with a state runner-up finish and multiple national titles, including championships at the Nike Outdoor Nationals and the USA Track & Field U20 High Jump National Championships.

Both Buckvar and Lucas believe the Ladue track and field program has always been about more than competition—it is about building strong, resilient individuals who grow both on and off the track.

In addition to these honors, Coach Buckvar presented at the MTCCCA clinic, sharing his expertise on sprint development with coaches from across the state. He was also elected 2nd Vice President of the association, a leadership role that will eventually lead to serving as President and later on the MTCCCA Executive Committee.

The Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association includes nearly 600 track and field and cross country coaches from across the state, with a mission to educate coaches, celebrate the accomplishments of its members and their athletes, and advocate on behalf of coaches and athletes at both the state and national levels.

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