Baseball coach Steve Jaksa wins 300th game
In 2003, the Central Michigan baseball program named just its sixth head coach since 1953 in Steve Jaksa.
Over spring break, Jaska recorded win No. 300 at CMU and Wednesday win No. 301.
“For me, I’ve got good players and good coaches, and we’ve got a good program and that’s the kind of thing we want to keep going,” Jaksa said. “If you can average 30 wins a year and have a little more here and there then you’re probably doing some good things overall.”
Earlier in the season Jaksa talked about how the team was a family. From the current to former players and coaches and all of their families this program has reached a lot of people, and Jaksa has been at the helm for 10 years now.
“He’s a great guy and a great coach, and we’re going to be the first ones in his heart next to his family,” said junior shortstop Jordan Dean. “We’re like his second family, and he always reiterates that and to be here these past couple years and be a part of that 300th win means a lot to me.”
Over the years, Jaksa has coached some good players, with 17 players drafted into the MLB, one of which being senior Zach Cooper who returned for his senior season. Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Josh Collmenter is another player that came through CMU during Jaksa's tenure.
In his nine previous years as head coach his team has posted just two losing record (2003, 09) and 2004 he was honored MAC Coach of the Year, the first a CMU coach has been named since Dave Kreiner in 1993.
The only thing Jaksa hasn’t done is win the MAC Tournament Championship, something the Chippewas haven’t done since 1995 which was their last NCAA Tournament appearance.
“That is where we want our program to be and that is the expectations of the guys on the team and the coaching staff,” Jaksa said. “Part of that is longevity and in this business you’ve got to keep a good product on the field so you can stay in the dugout.”
Jaksa won the MAC regular-season Championship in 2004 and has won back-to-back MAC West Championships.
His 301 career wins with CMU is third most in program history behind Dave Keilitz’s 453 wins (1971-84) and Kreiner’s 516 wins (1985-98)
Jaksa joined the Chippewas coaching staff in 1999 and was an assistant behind Judd Folske until becoming the head coach for the 2003 season. He had previous head coaching experience at Northwood University.
He also had some experience at the high school level at Saginaw Nouvel Catholic (1987-98) where he was also the Athletic Director and Flint Southwestern (1985). He was also an assistant at Miami University from 1985-86.
Jaksa won two state titles at Saginaw Nouvel (1990, 97) and was inducted into the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000.
