For the first time in 40 years, the Florida State Seminoles have posted a job opening for a new head baseball coach.

With legendary head coach Mike Martin set to retire after this season, FSU officially started the search for his replacement by posting the job on its employment site Monday. A closing date for applications was not posted, but the search is expected to take about six to 12 weeks.

Interim athletics director David Coburn has asked Cindy Hartmann, FSU's deputy athletics director for administration, to lead the search committee.

Coburn told Warchant.com earlier this month that he is expecting the committee to narrow the list of candidates down to a group of two or three finalists. Coburn is expected to then work with FSU President John Thrasher on selecting Martin's replacement.

Instead of using a search firm to act as a go-between for current college coaches, who might not want their names linked to the position, FSU likely will have informal conversations with interested parties.

During a recent sit-down interview with Warchant and the Tallahassee Democrat, Coburn suggested that some highly accomplished FSU alumni have already made overtures.

“We have a lot of former players out there that are very interested in this job," Coburn said. "They love this program and they are interested. And that’s a great thing."

FSU assistant coach Mike Martin Jr., who has been the Seminoles' hitting coach and lead recruiter for years, is expected to be a top candidate.

Other names mentioned in the past have been former Seminoles Link Jarrett, head coach at UNC-Greensboro; Doug Mientkiewicz, manager of the Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers' Triple-A club); and Pedro Grifol, assistant coach with the Kansas City Royals. Other potential candidates include highly successful Chipola College coach Jeff Johnson and former MLB star David Ross, who is a Tallahassee native and lives here since retiring from the sport.

Stay connected with Warchant.com for more on this story.

------------

Discuss this story with other FSU fans on our Seminole Baseball Message Board.