Iowa Lakes Names Championship Coach Bob Hlavac to Lead Baseball Program

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa - Iowa Lakes Community College has named championship-winning coach Bob Hlavac as the next head coach of the Lakers baseball program, pending board approval. Known for building competitive programs and developing student-athletes into leaders both on and off the field, Hlavac brings a proven history of success to Iowa Lakes.

Athletic Director Troy Larson said Hlavac quickly distinguished himself during the search process through his leadership philosophy, commitment to student-athlete development, and ability to build winning cultures.  "Coach Hlavac is exactly the type of leader we were looking for to guide our baseball program into its next chapter," Larson said. "His success speaks for itself, but what impressed us most was his commitment to developing young men—not only as athletes, but as students, teammates and leaders. He builds programs the right way, creates cultures that players want to be part of, and holds everyone to a championship standard. We believe Bob will make an immediate impact on our student-athletes and position Iowa Lakes Baseball for sustained success."

Hlavac succeeds Chris Witzke, who accepted the head baseball coaching position at North Iowa Area Community College earlier this summer. Iowa Lakes thanks Witzke for his leadership and contributions to the Lakers baseball program and wish him continued success. Hlavac now takes the helm with a championship pedigree, a passion for player development and a vision for building on the program's strong foundation.

Hlavac said he is eager to join the Iowa Lakes community and begin connecting with returning and incoming student-athletes.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to lead Iowa Lakes Baseball and become part of the Laker family," Hlavac said. "I'm looking forward to building relationships, setting high standards, and creating a winning, player-led culture rooted in accountability, hard work, and daily growth."

Hlavac arrives at Iowa Lakes after transforming the baseball program at Millard North High School in Omaha into one of Nebraska's premier Class A programs. After inheriting a team that had not qualified for the Nebraska Class A State Tournament since 2017, he led the Mustangs back to the state tournament in his first season. The following year, Millard North finished as the Class A state runner-up before capturing the 2026 Nebraska Class A State Championship in Hlavac's third season.

Before becoming head coach at Millard North in 2023, Hlavac spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Millard West High School. During his tenure, the Wildcats captured Nebraska Class A state championships in 2019 and 2022 while finishing as state runner-up in 2021 and 2023. Over the past seven seasons, Hlavac has coached in six Nebraska Class A state championship games.

Throughout his coaching career, Hlavac has built programs focused on player development, leadership, academic achievement and preparing student-athletes for opportunities beyond high school. His coaching philosophy emphasizes accountability, continuous improvement and creating an environment where athletes can reach their full potential both on and off the field.

Hlavac will begin working immediately with returning players and incoming recruits as preparations begin for the upcoming baseball season.