Florida State's Mike Martin to retire after 2018-19 season

Curt Weiler | Tallahassee Democrat

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch it: Mike Martin reflects on his favorite moments, his time at FSU The FSU head coach is now the winningest coach in college baseball history with his 1,976th victory vs. Clemson on Saturday.

The 2018-19 season will be a farewell tour for legendary Florida State baseball coach Mike Martin.

Martin will retire following his 40th season as the Seminoles' head coach, FSU announced Monday.

The university confirmed it will conduct a national search to find his replacement.

"I am just so thankful to work for a school like FSU and an athletics administration that has given me every opportunity to be successful," Martin said.

“I’m glad that they want me to continue coaching next season and I thank all our former and current coaches, staff and most importantly our players for the consistent success of our baseball program. You don’t win at our level without student-athletes who dedicate themselves to playing as a team and playing for something more than themselves."

FSU Athletic Director Stan Wilcox added, "There is no finer representative of Florida State University and no better champion of college baseball than Mike Martin."

"His passion, dedication and demand for on-field success are as strong as they were the day he got the job, and I’m eager to watch what he and our team can accomplish next year."

Martin became the winningest coach in college baseball history with his 1,976th victory at Clemson May 5 and he enters next season 13 wins from becoming the first coach to reach the 2,000 win mark.

“Coach Martin is a great ambassador for both Florida State University and the game of baseball, and I am pleased he will return as our coach next season," FSU President John Thrasher said.

“His abilities as a coach are reflected in the fact that he is the winningest college coach in the history of the game, but he also has shown a generation what a program run with pride, class and proper priorities looks like.”

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FSU racked up 40-plus wins for the 41st straight year this past season, 39 of which have come under Martin.

The Seminoles also won their second consecutive ACC Championship and earned the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

However, an early exit from the Tallahassee Regional soured what was an otherwise successful season.

Martin also was criticized by fans and the media for his decision to return starter Drew Parrish to the mound following a lengthy rain delay in the Seminoles' elimination defeat to Mississippi State.

FSU is expected to lose a number of its top players from this year's team -- Tallahassee natives Tyler Holton and Cole Sands, Cal Raleigh and Rhett Aplin, to name a few -- but the Seminoles return some established players and bring in a promising signing class.