FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
MOUNT PLEASANT – The Central Michigan Athletics Department and head baseball coach Steve Jaksa have agreed to a new four-year contract that will run through the 2016 season.
The contract replaces Jaksa’s previous contract and will not include a change in salary.
“We are very pleased to sign Coach Jaksa to a multiyear deal,” Director of Athletics Dave Heeke said. “He and his staff have continued to build a program that competes for championships year in and year out and one that embodies our championship culture. It was important to us to secure his leadership for the next four years as he continues to move the vision for our baseball program forward.”
Jaksa will enter his 11th season as the head coach of the Chippewas in 2013 with a career record of 328-254-1. He owns the third most victories in CMU history and has helped lead the Maroon and Gold to two Mid-American Conference Championships (2004, 2010) and four MAC West Division titles (2004, 2006, 2010, 2011). The CMU alum has amassed seven 30-win campaigns and a pair of 20-win MAC seasons.
“This extension shows that not only is the administration supportive of the championship culture we have across all of our programs at Central Michigan, but that they are happy with the current state of the baseball program,” Jaksa said. “I’m a Chippewa. I was born and raised that way so to speak and this extension says that we are going to continue to play for championships the next four years. Everyone is on board with the vision we have for this program and I’m very excited for the next four years.”
Jaksa guided the Chippewas to their third MAC Tournament championship appearance in 2012 and he has compiled a 162-96 record in MAC play, finishing first or second in the West Division in six of the past eight seasons.
During Jaksa’s tenure, he has mentored 33 All-MAC selections, including 12 first-team honorees, six all-region choices, three All-Americans, three Freshman All-Americans, five Academic All-District IV selection, three academic All-Americans and 17 Academic All-MAC honorees.
