TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — On Friday, February 19, Florida State baseball will honor former head coach Mike Martin by securing his No. 11 jersey in left field at Dick Howser Stadium on Opening Day.
Martin, who led FSU to 17 College World Series appearances and is the winningest coach in college baseball history, will be the third Seminole to have his number retired or honored, joining Howser’s 34 and J.D. Drew’s 39.
Head coach Mike Martin, Jr. also announced Monday that sixth-year senior right-handed pitcher and team captain Chase Haney will wear jersey No. 11 for the 2021 season.
“I’m beyond honored that ‘11’ would allow me to wear this number and that Mike Martin Jr. would think of me to start this great tradition,” Haney said. “Coach Martin created such a legacy at Florida State and in college baseball so wearing his Number 11 is something I will do with great pride.”
“Even though we are honoring the jersey and recognizing his accomplishments as head coach, I wanted to keep the No. 11 jersey on the field and Chase is the perfect person to start this tradition,” Martin Jr. said. “Chase embodies what ‘11’ stood for – hard work, treating people with respect and doing the right thing on and off the field while showing a genuine love for Florida State University.”
Martin, who retired after the 2019 season, has the most wins of any coach in college baseball history, with 2,029. In his 40 years as FSU’s head coach, Martin led the Seminoles to the NCAA Tournament and won at least 40 games each season. Martin bookended his career with trips to the College World Series, leading his first team in 1980 and his final team in 2019 to Omaha. In addition, 15 other Seminole teams made the College World Series under Martin and his 17 appearances in the CWS are the most for any coach in the sport’s history.
“I was surprised but extremely honored that Florida State would allow this unique opportunity,” Martin said. “I’ve been impressed with a number of athletes during my 45 years with Seminole baseball and never found a player with more leadership skills than Chase Haney. Many times, a pitcher is more concerned with his own success, but Chase’s influence and authority of the clubhouse always put the team first and he deserves all the accolades he has received in his outstanding career.”
Haney, from Winter Garden, Florida, has put together a 2.89 earned run average over 107 career appearances. He enters his final season ranked eighth in FSU history in total appearances and is just 29 shy of tying the school record. Haney is Florida State’s team captain for the second straight season.
Off the field, Haney has earned a pair of degrees from Florida State – an undergraduate degree in commercial entrepreneurship and a Master’s in sport management. He is currently working towards a second bachelor’s degree in social science. He was a 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, has been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll all five seasons, twice made the All-ACC Academic Team (2016 and 2019) and has made the FSU Dean’s List three times.
Since Haney joined FSU out of Windermere Prep in 2016, the Noles have won two ACC Championships (2017 and 2018); played in a third ACC title game (2016); made the postseason four times (2016-19) and reached the College World Series twice (2017 and 2019).
“Chase is uniquely qualified to honor Coach Martin by wearing his number,” Martin Jr. said. “Jersey number 11 will be reserved for special guys who have given their heart and soul to Florida State University and this baseball program and there may be years when no one wears the jersey.”
A brief recognition of Martin and his time at Florida State will take place on February 19, when the Seminoles open the 2021 season against North Florida at 6 p.m.
