Bio

Doug Martin enters his 18th season as the head baseball coach at Northwest Florida State College, continuing to build on a legacy that has transformed the Raiders into one of the premier junior college programs in the nation.

Hired in 2009 as just the third head coach in program history, Martin has elevated Northwest Florida baseball to consistent national prominence. Under his leadership, the Raiders have made 10 postseason appearances, captured four Panhandle Conference Championships, won two FCSAA State/NJCAA Region 8 titles, advanced to two NJCAA World Series, and claimed the program’s first NJCAA National Championship in 2015.

Martin’s coaching excellence has been widely recognized. He was named NJCAA Division I Coach of the Year in 2015 following the program’s national title run. He has also earned Panhandle Conference Coach of the Year honors four times (2011, 2019, 2023, 2024) and FCSAA Coach of the Year twice (2015, 2024)

Beyond team success, Martin has made player development a cornerstone of the program. Since his arrival, 174 players have advanced to four-year institutions, while 42 have signed professional contracts with Major League organizations. His ability to prepare athletes for the next level has become a defining trait of Northwest Florida baseball.

The 2025 season marked another strong chapter under Martin’s guidance. The Raiders posted a 32–17 record, including a 14–10 mark in Panhandle Conference play, earning their third consecutive postseason berth. Nine players received All-Panhandle Conference honors, highlighted by Qrey Lott, who was named Conference Player of the Year. Six Raiders earned All-FCSAA recognition, while 13 players signed with four-year programs. Additionally, Lott (San Diego Padres) and Thomas Conrad (Milwaukee Brewers) signed professional contracts.

In 2024, Martin guided Northwest Florida through one of the most memorable seasons in program history. The Raiders finished 40–15, securing back-to-back Panhandle Conference Championships and capturing their second FCSAA State/NJCAA Region 8 title. The team advanced to the NJCAA World Series for the second time and finished as the national runner-up.

That season was filled with individual accolades as well. Eight players earned All-Conference honors, with Cayden Gaskin named Conference Player of the Year and Mack Estrada earning Conference Pitcher of the Year. Five players were selected to All-FCSAA teams, and Gaskin became the program’s seventh NJCAA All-American. Three Raiders were also selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, further highlighting the program’s national reputation.

Before arriving in Niceville, Martin spent 10 seasons at Pensacola Junior College, now Pensacola State College, where he played a key role in revitalizing the program. Serving as assistant head coach from 1999 to 2004 and associate head coach from 2005 to 2008, he helped guide the Pirates to multiple milestones. In 2002, the team captured a Panhandle Conference Championship and finished as state runner-up, marking its first state tournament appearance in over a decade.

The program reached new heights in 2004, winning the State/Region 8 Championship, earning a JUCO World Series berth, and finishing sixth nationally. Martin also contributed to a Panhandle Conference Championship and a school-record 41–6 season in 2008, during which the Pirates spent eight weeks ranked No. 1 in the nation.

His impact at Pensacola extended beyond team success. Martin helped develop more than 30 professional players and assisted numerous others in earning scholarships to four-year programs, further establishing his reputation as a developer of talent.

Martin’s experience also includes time in professional baseball. In 2005, he served as pitching coach for the Pensacola Pelicans, helping lead the team to a league-best strikeout-to-walk ratio and a playoff appearance. Earlier in his career, he worked as an associate scout for the Atlanta Braves during the 1990s, contributing during a historic stretch that included multiple division titles and the franchise’s 1995 World Series championship.

He began his coaching career at the high school level, leading teams to district championships at Pensacola High School in 1994 and Escambia High School in 1998.

A native of Pensacola, Florida, Martin played collegiately at Pensacola Junior College from 1989 to 1990 before continuing his career at Auburn University at Montgomery from 1992 to 1993.

Off the field, Martin is a devoted family man. He married Candice Garrison of Montgomery, Alabama, in 1996, and the couple has two children, Kayla and Brady.

DOUG MARTIN HEAD COACHING RECORD