The Stony Brook baseball program has officially found its next leader: Jim Martin.
First reported by Andrew Riedell of College Baseball Central, and confirmed by Stony Brook Athletics in a press release shortly thereafter, Martin will be promoted to head coach after eight years as an associate head coach under longtime skipper Matt Senk.
Martin’s promotion signals the continuation of a legacy that Senk leaves behind after 35 years at the helm. Senk announced his retirement shortly before the end of the 2025 season. Additionally, Martin will become just the second coach in the program’s Division I history, after Senk elevated the then-Patriots to Division I in 2000.
“It’s an incredibly proud moment for me to see Jimmy Martin become the next head coach of Stony Brook baseball,” Senk said in the press release. “[Martin] has been by my side for years — not just as a coach, but as a trusted friend and someone who truly loves this program as much as I do. He’s poured his heart into our student-athletes and understands the values and traditions that make Stony Brook baseball so special.”
This will mark Martin’s second time heading a program, as he served as Merrimack College’s head coach from 2011 to 2014. Otherwise, his coaching career includes stops at three other schools — most notably an assistant coaching stint at Rhode Island — before he was inked to his previous position at Stony Brook in the fall of 2017.
He is a 2005 graduate of St. John’s University, where he helped the Red Storm to consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
In his eight years at Stony Brook, the Seawolves have been crowned America East Conference champions three times and made an NCAA Regional appearance in 2019. Four Stony Brook players have been picked in the MLB Draft in Martin’s time on Long Island.
“I am incredibly honored, humbled and thankful to be named the next head baseball coach at Stony Brook University,” Martin said. “This program means so much to me, and I’m truly grateful to Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron and our entire department for believing in me and giving me the chance to lead a team and university that I care so deeply about … I’m excited for this next chapter and can’t wait to get to work with our players, alumni and supporters as we strive to uphold the standards of excellence that make Stony Brook baseball so special.”
After Senk’s retirement, Stony Brook launched a nationwide search for the next coach, which included some familiar faces. According to Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball, Heilbron had “taken a very long hard look” at Chad Marshall, the current hitting coach at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). Marshall played for Senk from 2007 to 2011, but ultimately decided to return to ETSU.
Northeastern assistant coach Kevin Cobb also pulled out of the running for the Stony Brook job, returning to the reigning Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) champion Huskies for 2026.
Whoever ended up with the job would have had their work cut out for them, as much of the Seawolves’ roster entered the transfer portal at the end of last season. Stony Brook has already lost star first baseman Erik Paulsen to the University of North Carolina, while others remain undecided on their home for next season.
In the end, Heilbron decided to stay in-house, opting to stick with Senk’s right-hand man as the program looks to make the CAA postseason for the first time since entering the conference in 2023.
“We are thrilled to elevate [Martin] to the role of head coach and believe that he is the ideal choice to carry forward the extraordinary legacy left by coach Senk,” Heilbron said. “During his time here, [Martin] has demonstrated outstanding leadership, a deep knowledge of the game and a true commitment to our student-athletes on and off of the field.”
