Florida State Baseball Legend Mike Martin Dead At 79

Florida State baseball legend Mike Martin -- the winningest coach in NCAA history -- has passed away, the organization announced Thursday. He was 79.

The tragic news comes just weeks after Martin's family revealed he was receiving hospice care amid a battle with dementia.

FSU athletic director Michael Alford released a statement on the loss ... saying, "Mike Martin was an iconic figure in the history of college baseball and a man who was both respected and beloved throughout the game."

"His record of winning the most games in the history of the sport put him at the pinnacle, and his ability to win consistently as the very highest level of the game was equally remarkable."

Martin became head coach of the Seminoles in 1980 ... and led the team to 2,029 wins, nine ACC regular-season champions, eight conference tournament titles, 11 Metro tournament championships, and four Metro regular-season titles during his career in Tallahassee.

Martin also led the 'Noles to an astonishing 41 straight postseason appearances and 17 College World Series bids.

He won ACC Coach of the Year honors seven times ... and was named Baseball America Coach of the Year twice.

His incredible coaching career earned him a spot in the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Martin -- who also played centerfield for FSU in the 1960s -- had his No. 11 jersey retired in 2021.

"Mike was a tremendous ambassador for Florida State University and loved FSU with all his heart," Alford added.

"The sport has lost one of its all-time greats and we have lost one of our greatest Seminoles."

Martin is survived by his wife of 60 years, his children, and grandchildren.