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Skirka named Mike Martin National Coach of the Year (Press Release)

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Skirka named Mike Martin National Coach of the Year (Press Release)

OMAHA, Neb. (NCBWA) – In the midst of the best season in program history, Murray State head coach Dan Skirka has been named the 2025 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Mike Martin National Coach of the Year.

The Racers (44-15) have earned the first trip to the NCAA Division I Baseball World Series in program history. As a No. 4 seed in the Oxford Regional, Murray State twice knocked off the hosts, Ole Miss, including withstanding eight unanswered runs late in a 12-11 victory in the decisive Game 7.

Playing in its first-ever Super Regional, Murray State bounced back from a game one defeat at Duke. The Racers won the middle game, 19-9, and clinched a trip to Omaha with a 5-4 victory in the winner-take-all Game 3.

Murray State is the fourth-ever No. 4 seed to reach the College World Series, joining Oral Roberts (2023), Stony Brook (2012), and Fresno State (2008 – champions), and is the first MVC program to reach Omaha since 2003.

“I am humbled by this award, but it doesn’t happen without great people in my life,” said Skirka, who was the MVC Coach of the Year. “I owe so much to the people that have guided me both as a player and a coach and this award is shared by all of them. Many thanks to my coaching staff and our players, because they are the ones that made this amazing season happen. Many thanks to the NCBWA and their membership for this honor not only for myself, but also for the Murray State Baseball program.”

In their third season in the Missouri Valley Conference since joining in 2023, the Racers clinched a share of the regular season championship for the first time with a 17-8 record in league play. Murray State swept through the MVC Tournament with wins over Belmont, Southern Illinois, UIC, and Missouri State to claim its first title in the conference.

Skirka has a 206-149 record in seven seasons at the helm of the Racers, leading Murray State to its first regular season title since 1991 and first conference tournament crown since 2003.

“Coach Dan Skirka accomplished one of the great feats in college baseball annals this year in guiding Murray State to its first appearance in the NCAA Baseball World Series,” said NCBWA Executive Director Bo Carter. “The team played a ton of baseball from the Missouri Valley Conference Championship to the Oxford Regional and Durham Super Regional and won eight of those 10 games against Top 25 teams nationally. His determination has been reflected in his team’s grittiness, and he is most deserving of this award.”

Murray State boasts one of the top offenses in the country, ranking in the top 30 in scoring, hits, batting average, walks, doubles, triples, and on-base percentage, plus a stout defense with a .978 fielding percentage that ranks among the top 25 nationally.

The Racers open College World Series play against No. 15 seed UCLA on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. Murray State and UCLA are joined in Bracket 2 by No. 3 seed Arkansas and No. 6 seed LSU.

About the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year Award

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Coach of the Year Award, introduced in 2008, is voted on by the NCBWA Board of Directors, and chosen from a list that includes all Division I conference coaches of the year and the coaches of the eight NCAA College World Series teams.

In 2020, the NCBWA board of directors voted unanimously to name the annual award after Mike Martin, the winningest head coach in NCAA Division I baseball history after he retired at Florida State in 2019 with a 2,029-736-4 mark over 40 seasons in leading the FSU program from 1980-2019. Martin passed away in February 2024 at age 79.

“When I heard about it,” he said with a smile at the time, “I was simply flabbergasted. It is such an honor to have my name associated with this award, and it is a tribute to all the players and coaches who worked with me at Florida State.”

“We could not think of any other coach historically to associate a name for this annual award besides coach Mike Martin,” said Carter. “He has meant so much to college baseball as it has continued year-by-year to gain additional national popularity.”

NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport’s only college media-related organization, founded in 1962.

ALL-TIME MIKE MARTIN AWARD WINNERS
2025 – Dan Skirka, Murray State
2024 – Nick Mingione, Kentucky
2023 – Ryan Folmar, Oral Roberts
2022 – Link Jarrett, Notre Dame
2021 – Tony Vitello, Tennessee
2020 – None Selected
2019 – Eric Bakich, Michigan
2018 – Gary Henderson, Mississippi State
2017 – Pat Casey, Oregon State
2016 – Gary Gilmore, Coastal Carolina
2015 – Paul Mainieri, LSU
2014 – Mike Gillespie, UC Irvine
2013 – Tracy Smith, Indiana
2012 – Matt Senk, Stony Brook
2011 – David Esquer, California
2010 – Jim Schlossnagle, TCU
2009 – Brian O’Connor, Virginia
2008 – Mike Batesole, Fresno State

Murray Board of Education Regular Meeting CANCELED

Sentinel Staff
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Murray Board of Education Regular Meeting CANCELED

The Murray Board of Education regular monthly meeting has been canceled. The board will hold a special called meeting on Thursday, June 26.

Murray City Council Regular Meeting

Sentinel Staff
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Murray City Council Regular Meeting

The Murray City Council will meet at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 500 Main Street.

Murray Board of Education Regular Meeting CANCELED

Sentinel Staff
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Murray Board of Education Regular Meeting CANCELED

The Murray Board of Education regular monthly meeting has been canceled. The board will hold a special called meeting on Thursday, June 26.

‘Cowboy Cody’ arrested again

Jessica Paine
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‘Cowboy Cody’ arrested again

MURRAY – The Murray man who made national headlines in December after several witnesses posted videos on social media of him fleeing police on a mule was arrested again Friday after allegedly releasing a raccoon inside a local bar.

Jonathan “Cody” Mason, 40, long-known locally to many as “Cowboy Cody,” still has three misdemeanor cases pending in Calloway District Court, stemming from multiple incidents that took place over a four-day period in December. Now, he faces three new misdemeanor charges and one felony.

Jonathan Mason, left, appears in Calloway District Court today to be arraigned on three new misdemeanor and one new felony charge. (Zoom screenshot)

At approximately 9:18 p.m. Friday, the Murray Police Department dispatched officers to Big Apple Grill and Bar after receiving a complaint that an individual released a raccoon inside the business, according to the uniform citation. While en route, officers were advised the individual fled the scene in a red truck with a horse trailer in tow. Upon locating the vehicle, officers conducted a traffic stop.

Mason allegedly refused to roll down the windows to speak to the officers, who, as noted in the citation, approached the vehicle with their firearms drawn “as this individual Jonathan Mason had a history of involving firearms when dealing with” law enforcement.

Eventually, officers broke the driver’s side window using a window breaker, opened the door and removed Mason from the vehicle; however, unbeknownst to the officers at the time, the truck was in neutral and proceeded to roll into an MPD unit, causing damage to the vehicle. The Calloway County Sheriff’s Office was contacted to file an accident report regarding the collision, and during that process, it was discovered that the truck was not insured.

As MPD continued its investigation, officers learned that one individual at the Big Apple was bitten by the raccoon. They also verified that Mason was previously told he was not allowed on the Big Apple’s property.

After being taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, upon release, Mason was lodged in the Calloway County Detention Center on charges of second-degree assault, third-degree criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and failure of owner to maintain required insurance, first offense.

He was arraigned on the new charges in Calloway County District Court this morning. Murray attorney Mitchell “Mitch” Ryan, who also represents Mason in his pending misdemeanor cases, asked Calloway District Judge Randall Hutchens to consider reducing his client’s bond, noting that Mason’s mother could pay $500 (10%) but not the full $5,000 cash bond Hutchens set over the weekend.

“Mr. Mason has always done what I’ve asked him to do,” Ryan said. “He’s always appeared in court. Where he stays is a long, long way away from Murray, and I think he can stay away from people, places and things for the next little while until we get this resolved.”

Hearkening back to 2024, Hutchens noted that alcohol was a contributing factor in Mason’s misdemeanor cases.

“I don’t have a whole lot of information regarding the facts (in the new case), but I’m relatively certainly there was no alcohol involved in this,” Ryan told the judge. “I do know that the Apple was involved, but I don’t think there’s any alcohol. Matter of fact, I don’t know that he even made it into the building.”

“Here’s my problem,” Hutchens interjected. “Let’s get passed the felony issue … call it resolved, but then we’ve got this resisting (arrest). They had to break a window in to get him out. There ended up being damage to a police vehicle. All because of his behavior when they tried to communicate with him and confront him about the underlying felony allegations. He already has fleeing or evading in one of his priors, and the combination concerns me.”

Calloway District Judge Randall Hutchens talks to Mason, right, and Ryan during today’s arraignment. (Zoom screenshot)

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney James Burkeen voiced his opposition to the request, noting that Mason was out on bond in three other cases when he was arrested Friday.

“That’s where I’m at, too,” Hutchens said. “Mr. Mason, if I let you out on bond in one case, you can’t continue to get in more trouble while out on bond. You’re a member of the public. You would expect me, as a judge, with regard to anybody else in the world, if they continue to get in trouble while they’re out on bond, then I shouldn’t let them out. You wouldn’t want me to do that. That’s where I am right now.”

Ryan asked the judge to consider in-home incarceration until Mason returns to court next week for his preliminary hearing in this case.

“You may talk me into it next Wednesday, but today I’m not going to,” Hutchens responded.

Mason’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, at 9:30 a.m.

Individuals charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Murray Parks Committee Regular Meeting

Jessica Paine
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Murray Parks Committee Regular Meeting

The Murray Parks Committee will meet at noon at City Hall.

Murray Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting

Jessica Paine
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Murray Human Rights Commission Regular Meeting

The Murray Human Rights Commission will meet at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Calloway County Board of Education Regular Meeting

Sentinel Staff
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Calloway County Board of Education Regular Meeting

The Calloway County Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. at the central office, 2110 College Farm Road.

MSU Board of Regents Regular Meeting

Jessica Paine
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MSU Board of Regents Regular Meeting

The Murray State University Board of Regents will hold its regular quarterly meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the Hall of Benefactors at Heritage Hall.

The first page of the meeting agenda is shown above; pages two and three are shown below.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Open

Jessica Paine
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FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Open

A Disaster Recovery Center has opened in Calloway County to offer in-person support to Kentucky uninsured and underinsured survivors who experienced loss as the result of the April severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides.

The new Disaster Recovery Center in Calloway County is located at:

Calloway County Courthouse Annex, 201 S. 4th St., Murray, KY 42071

Working hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Saturday and 1 – 7 p.m. Central Time, Sunday.

Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops where you can get information and advice on available assistance from state, federal and community organizations. You can get help to apply for FEMA assistance, learn the status of your FEMA application, understand the letters you get from FEMA and get referrals to agencies that may offer other assistance. The U.S. Small Business Administration representatives and resources from the Commonwealth are also available at the Disaster Recovery Centers to assist you.

FEMA is encouraging Kentuckians affected by the April storms to apply for federal disaster assistance as soon as possible. The deadline to apply is June 25.

Read the full press release here.

Note: The tentative closure date for the Calloway DRC is June 25; however, should state and county officials determine it is no longer needed, the center may close prior to that date. In that event, individuals still have until June 25 to apply by phone, online or through the FEMA app. See the press release for more details.

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