For more than two decades of his Air Force career, Senior Master Sergeant Frank Haupt was a safety inspector of our nation’s missile defense installations.
That job took the Haupt family to many of the coldest corners of America. So, when Frank decided to retire in the early 1970s, Patricia Haupt had one demand — warmth.
In 1976, the Haupts resettled in the growing San Diego suburb of Mira Mesa.
Later that year, Chris and Steve Haupt not only debuted for Mira Mesa High School, they won a contest that nicknamed the new high school the Marauders.
In all but three of the 50 seasons since, a Haupt has been part of the high school and college basketball scene in San Diego.
“I don’t think any of us ever gave that much thought,” said Mike Haupt, who was the San Diego CIF Player of the Year at Mira Mesa High in 1983-84, played collegiately at San Diego State and the University of San Diego and recently coached his 30th season at St. Augustine High.
Mike is also the father of Luke Haupt, the 6-foot-7 point guard who is competing for Point Loma Nazarene University in the NCAA Division II West Regionals that begin Friday in the Sea Lions’ Golden Gym.
Luke is the last Haupt playing at the moment. And although the senior’s PLNU career will end this month, he could transfer to another school and play a fifth year.
“Point Loma Nazarene has been a great spot for me,” Luke Haupt said earlier this season. “But I’m looking forward to playing another season and then maybe play pro ball somewhere.”
The Haupts’ basketball run began long before they arrived in Mira Mesa.
Matriarch Patricia played high school basketball in Topeka, Kan., when the girls’ rules had six players on a team. But three players were restricted to the defensive side of the court while three only played offense. “Mom was where our basketball began,” Mike Haupt said.
Mike’s oldest brother, Kevin, played high school ball for the Mitchell Marauders in Colorado Springs, where his father was stationed.
“Our family games took off when we got to San Diego,” said Mike. “We set up a basket in our driveway, which sloped. We made sure the basket was 10 feet off the ground from the point of the free-throw line. Our front yard games were epic. All of us got bloodied many times playing in our front yard.”
Chris was a sophomore and Steve was a freshman when Mira Mesa High School opened in 1976. Mike debuted at Mira Mesa in 1980 the season after Steve graduated.
Mike Haupt was the CIF Player of the Year in 1984. But he says the best athlete in the family is Sheri Lobel, a member of the Mira Mesa girls’ team who Mike later married.
Mike Haupt entered San Diego State in 1984, then transferred to the University of San Diego before the 1985-86 season, although his career with the Toreros was limited by a knee injury. After graduating, he worked three years away from basketball in the USD istration before returning to coaching in 1991-92 as a graduate assistant to Hank Egan.
Mike has posted a 633-268 record in three decades as St. Augustine’s head coach. His teams have won nine CIF championships and appeared in 19 title games.
Kevin’s two sons — Christian (2002-2006) and Connor (2011-2015) — played for Mike at St. Augustine. Chris’ son Andrew (2009) and daughter Katie (2012) both played at Cathedral Catholic. Steve’s son Dillon was the Eastern League baseball Player of the Year at Mira Mesa High School in 2009 and was later a teammate of Kris Bryant’s at USD.
Mike and Sheri’s three sons all attended St. Augustine.
Dallas graduated in 2014 and was a member of the Saints’ team that won a state basketball title then played two seasons at Miramar College. Jake was the 2017 CIF Soccer Player of the Year and played soccer at UC Davis. Luke won a CIF basketball title as a freshman, but lost his senior season to the COVID-19 pandemic.
