Lubbock Christian University Athletics

When head baseball coach Nathan Blackwood was looking for a new hitting coach in the winter of 2019, he went back into the history of the storied program and found his man in Hector Limon.
 
Limon, a former Chaparral baseball player himself from 1983 to 1986, has numerous years of experience coaching baseball at the high school level, including most recently at Abernathy High School.
 
"Coach Limon is a very well-known and respected baseball coach in the West Texas region, yet is also known throughout the state of Texas and Eastern New Mexico because of his many years of success as a head coach at the high school level," Blackwood said.
 
In his first year working with the team, baseball season ended right before the halfway point due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A year later, Limon got to lead the team for a full season, helping improve the team’s performance at the plate and coaching first base throughout the entire season.
 
The 2021 Chaps hit .301 for the season, blasting a league-leading 72 home runs and ranking second with a .521 slugging percentage. Seven of LCU’s nine starters hit better than .300 for the year, and the team reached base at a .408 clip. Larry Leitha and Luis Navarro were both named to the All-Conference First Team for their prowess at the plate, and Navarro was further honored as an ABCA All-American.
 
Limon's one-year stint as the head coach of the Abernathy Antelopes is part of a coaching career that has spanned more than 30 years at the high school level. After doing his student teaching at Frenship High School and coaching the junior varsity baseball team, Limon began his first stint at his alma mater, Estacado High School, where he taught and coached until 1995. With the Matador baseball team, Limon assisted with the varsity and was the head coach of the junior varsity team.
 
In 1995, Limon received his first head-coaching appointment, moving to Levelland High School, where he was 58-49 in four seasons leading the varsity team and took the Lobos to their first playoff appearance since 1975. Limon left Levelland for two years as the head coach at Plainview High School before returning to Estacado, this time as the varsity baseball head coach.
 
The Matadors were 5-46 in the two seasons prior to Limon's arrival, but he turned them around quickly, posting a 25-12 record in just his second season (2003). Limon stayed at Estacado through the 2010 season, leading the team to a 185-108 (.631) overall record, six district championships and one appearance in the state tournament (2010). He was the district Coach of the Year six times during his tenure at Estacado.
 
Limon then moved to Midland, coaching the Lee High School Rebels for two seasons. He had two playoff appearances there and a 47-24 overall record before moving back to the panhandle to be closer to his family. He coached at Brownfield from 2014-18 before the one-year stint at Abernathy.
 
 A Lubbock native, Limon played his high school ball at Estacado where he had a stellar career, hitting better than .467 in all four seasons. Following a terrific senior year in which he hit .578 with 15 doubles, 12 home runs, 50 RBI and 18 stolen bases for the Matadors, Limon was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 30^th round (755^th overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft. The two-time All-District Most Valuable Player instead opted to play at the collegiate level and remained close to home to do so. ?
 
Limon got into the action right off the bat at Lubbock Christian, playing in 43 games and leading the team with a .413 average as a freshman on the Chaps' first-ever NAIA National Championship team in 1983. For his career, Limon played in 222 games, batting .373 with 63 doubles, 36 home runs and 197 RBI. Four of his home runs as a Chap were of the grand slam variety, which at the time of his graduation was tied for the LCU record.
 
For his stellar playing career, Limon was inducted into the LCU Athletics Hall of Honor in 1998, while the 1983 NAIA National Championship team as a whole was inducted in 2013.
 
"Hector is an excellent teacher of the game and will bring lots of energy and focus on fundamentals and perfecting the details of the game," Blackwood added. "He is also an excellent leader of men and understands what LCU is all about."