UCO names new head baseball coach

From UCO Sports Info.
Mike Kirk, Director of Athletic Media Relations

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma athletic director Joe Muller announced Friday that John Martin has been selected to take over as head baseball coach for the Bronchos.

Martin spent the last four years as head coach at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, where he had a 133-105 record and led the Ravens to the regional tournament every season.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity,” Martin said. “UCO has always been a place I’ve had a lot of respect for. It’s a great school in a great location and I’m ready to get to work and see what we can do. We’re going to recruit the right student-athletes who will work hard and do things the right way.”

“John’s body of work as a player, assistant coach and head coach is impressive and his energy and enthusiasm is inspiring,” Muller said. “His reputation as a players’ coach should translate well as we continue to grow our program to compete on the national stage.”

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Martin played one year at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College before spending three seasons as the starting catcher at Emporia State. He led the Hornets to the NCAA Division II World Series as a senior and was a 24th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006.

Martin played two seasons in the Dodgers organization before returning to ESU as assistant coach, directing the pitchers and catchers. He helped the Hornets to a 134-42 record during his three-year tenure, including a national runner-up campaign in 2009.

Martin also spent two summers as manager of the Liberal Bee Jays, leading the team to a 42-13 record and the National Baseball Congress championship in 2010 when he was named Manager of the Year.

The 31-year-old Martin took over as head coach at Coffeyville in August 2011 and promptly led the Ravens to a school-record 33 wins in his first season when he was named Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year.

Coffeyville won 33 games again the following season, followed with a 38-18 campaign in 2014 and had 29 wins this past season. Martin led the Ravens to four straight super regional tournaments, one of just two teams in the junior college ranks to accomplish that feat.

Martin replaces Dax Leone, who was not retained after leading the UCO program the past five years. The Bronchos went 19-26 in 2015.

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