December 7th, 2023
The College Baseball Foundation has announced the names of twelve new members of the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The 16th induction class will be honored at the Night of Champions on February 15, 2024, in Overland Park, Kansas. The class is comprised of players, coaches, umpires and administrators – all who have contributed to college baseball history at the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA levels.
To be eligible for the College Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, players must be out of college for 15 years and have completed one year of competition at a two-year institution in the CCCAA, NJCAA or a four-year NCAA (Division I, II or III) or NAIA institution. Ballot-eligible coaches must be retired for two years or be active and no less than 75 years old.
"Each year when the College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees are announced, it creates a tremendous level of pride and appreciation for those that have given so much to the college game," said Craig Ramsey, Chair of the College Baseball Foundation Board of Directors. "Inducting the newest Hall of Fame members and celebrating top performers from this past year will officially close out the achievements of the 2023 season. Then we will eagerly turn the page to the start of the 2024 college baseball season the very next day."
Russell Martin, a former Southwestern University Baseball pitcher and a graduate of the class of 1985 will be one of the twelve individuals that will be inducted into the 2023 College Baseball Hall of Fame Class. He will be honored at the induction ceremony posthumously.
Russell Martin came to Southwestern as a star pitcher out of French High School in Beaumont, Texas. He amassed outstanding statistics during his career with the Pirates, setting the national record for wins in the NAIA (46). He is second all-time in the Pirates record book with a career ERA of 2.64, second in strikeouts with 250, threw twenty-five complete games, and is first all-time in innings pitched (347.2). Martin helped lead the Pirate baseball team to two consecutive trips to the NAIA World Series in 1983 and 1984 and was chosen for the All-Tournament team in 1984 when the Pirates finished third. He also earned NAIA first-team All-American honors twice, as a sophomore in 1983 and again as a senior in 1985. Martin graduated from Southwestern with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1985. He was inducted into the Southwestern University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.
THE 2023 COLLEGE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
• Chris Bando, Arizona State University: 1975-78 (Catcher)
• Pat Casey, George Fox College/Oregon State University: 1988-2018 (Coach)
• Jack Coffey, Fordham University: 1906-09 (Shortstop); 1923-58 (Coach) - deceased
• Ron Darling, Yale University: 1979-81 (Pitcher/Outfield)
• Mike Fuentes, Florida State University: 1978-81 (Outfield)
• Alex Gordon, University of Nebraska: 2004-06 (Third Base)
• Steve Kemp, University of Southern California: 1973-75 (Outfield)
• Russell Martin, Southwestern University: 1982-85 (Pitcher) - deceased
• Mike Metheny, Southeastern Oklahoma State University: 1981- 2017 (Coach)
• Marty Miller, Norfolk State University: 1973-2005 (Coach)
• C.J. Mitchell, College Umpire and Pioneer - deceased
• Tony Thompson: 1978-2018 (Umpire)
About the College Baseball Hall of Fame
Each year, more than 190 representatives nationwide vote on the College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class. The voting body is comprised of national and regional college baseball media, active and retired coaches, former players, former inductees, college baseball historians and members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) collegiate baseball committee. Click here for a full list of College Baseball Hall of Fame classes.
About the College Baseball Foundation
The College Baseball Foundation's purpose is to preserve, elevate, and advance the game; to inspire the next generation; to teach those who love college baseball about its rich history and traditions; to celebrate those who make college baseball special; and to honor those who have come before us, and built the foundation upon which college baseball thrives today.
To view the full release and learn more visit https://www.mlb.com/college-baseball-hall-of-fame
To attend the Night of Champions Induction Ceremony, click here https://www.mlb.com/college-baseball-hall-of-fame/about/night-of-champions