DePauw seeking new baseball, lacrosse coaches

Thursday, July 7, 2016
DePauw baseball coach Jake Martin is returning to his alma mater, Wabash College, to be the new head coach of the Little Giants.

CRAWFORDSVILLE --A 2003 Wabash graduate will become the next head baseball coach for the Little Giants, as the school announced Thursday that veteran coach Jake Martin is leaving North Coast Athletic Conference rival DePauw to return to his alma mater.

Martin spent six seasons as head coach at DePauw and six more as an assistant for the Tigers.

"I am excited to welcome Jake Martin back home to our alma mater as the leader of our baseball program," Wabash Dean of Students Mike Raters '85 said. "Jake's knowledge of our culture, recruiting territory, and program history -- coupled with his head coaching success -- enabled him to rise to the forefront of a deep and excellent pool of candidates."

Martin amassed a 161-138 record as the head coach at DePauw. His 2012 team posted a 34-14 record, won the North Coast Athletic Conference Western Division, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. Martin's 2014 team won the NCAC Tournament and earned a third-place finish at the NCAA Central Regional. Martin coached the Tigers to a first-place finish in the NCAC Western division in 2015 and a second-place finish in the NCAC tournament in 2016.

Martin's 2012 team posted 34 wins for the second-highest total in school history. Following the 2012 season, Martin was named the NCAC Coach of the Year as well as the D3baseball.com Mideast Region Coach of the Year.

Martin began his DePauw coaching career as an assistant coach shortly after graduating from Wabash in 2003.

Following six years as an assistant, Martin was named interim head coach in August 2009 and head coach in April 2010.

"I'm extremely excited to return to Wabash," Martin said. "I feel very fortunate to be given this opportunity. Wabash is a great school; it is a place where you can challenge yourself academically and athletically."

Martin majored in psychology at Wabash and earned a master's degree from Indiana State University in 2005.

He earned four varsity letters on the Wabash baseball team, hitting .374 for his career and winning 13 games as a pitcher.

As a senior captain, he went 5-1 on the mound, hit .378 in 40 games, and earned team MVP honors. He was a two-time All-NCAC selection.

While coaching across the diamond from the Little Giants in 2016, Martin was impressed with what he saw.

"This is a young team and they were a fun group to watch. They're athletic and play hard. I'm very excited to work with the juniors and seniors who have played in a lot of big games."

"Jake is a proven coach both in the North Coast Athletic Conference and at the national level," Wabash Director of Athletics and Campus Wellness Joe Haklin '73 said. "He has enjoyed tremendous success recruiting to an Indiana liberal arts college. He knows what the challenges are and how to find players to meet those challenges. I think his learning curve will be virtually non-existent."

During his six years as an assistant coach, Martin helped guide DePauw to a pair of Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference East Division titles, including the 2008 team that won a school-record 35 games was ranked 15th in the final ABCA poll.

During his tenure, DePauw posted five of the program's six best single-season fielding percentages including the current school record of .974 in 2012 which ranked third in NCAA Division III.

"We're sad to see Jake go and can't thank him enough for his loyalty and commitment to DePauw and the student-athletes," said Stevie Baker-Watson, DePauw Associate Vice President for Campus Wellness.

"Jake has served as a tremendous role model and mentor to his players and we'll miss him as he returns to his alma mater."

Martin replaces Cory Stevens, who resigned in June.

DePauw will conduct a national search for Martin's replacement.

* DePauw lacrosse coach also resigns -- Julie Sargent, DePauw head women's lacrosse coach for the last three seasons, is resigning to take a position at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.

"Julie took over our young program on short notice in 2013 and we're grateful for the commitment and enthusiasm she displayed in mentoring our student-athletes," said Stevie Baker-Watson, DePauw Associate Vice President for Campus Wellness. "We wish Julie the best as she takes this next step in her career."

In three seasons she directed the Tigers to a 15-30 overall record and an 8-16 mark in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The Tigers won a school-record seven games in 2015 and posted 3-5 conference records in the past two seasons.

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