NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University Acting Athletics Director Marty Miller announced Tuesday that he is stepping down as the school’s baseball coach, effective immediately.
Miller also announced that head assistant baseball coach Claudell Clark has been appointed interim head coach.
“This is one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” said Miller, who was appointed acting athletics director on Dec. 16. “I realized when we (the team) returned from Savannah that I needed to make a decision about my future. We got back at 4 a.m., then I had a meeting with Dr. McDemmond early that day along with some other assignments I had to complete. It made me realize that I wouldn’t be able to put the necessary time into both jobs.”
Miller just began his 33rd year as the Spartans’ baseball coach. The Spartans (0-4) dropped a four-game series at Savannah State last weekend, but Miller said that the results had nothing to do with his decision.
“For the most part, we played well last weekend,” Miller said. “It would just be best for both the baseball program and the athletics program for me to focus on my new job.”
In more than 32 years as head man, Miller’s teams at NSU compiled a record of 718-543-3. His teams won 17 CIAA championships, helping Miller become the winningest coach in CIAA history. He is a member of the CIAA’s John B. McLendon Hall of Fame as well as the NSU Athletics Foundation Sports Hall of Fame.
Miller was also a star baseball player at NSU from 1965-68, earning NCAA College Division All-American honors after batting .406 as a senior. The Spartans’ on-campus baseball field is named in his honor.
“It’s very difficult to give up something I’ve been doing for 50 years,” Miller said. “I feel we have a championship-caliber team, and the coach needs to be there with them every day. I don’t think that this will affect the quality of the baseball program, because the players have been working very well with Claudell and (assistant coach) Enrique Mendieta.”
Clark is in his third year on the NSU coaching staff. He had a distinguished career as a pitcher and outfielder at NSU from 1998-2001. He was MEAC Pitcher of the Year in 2000, and the MEAC Tournament MVP in 2001. He is the school’s all-time career strikeout leader, with 249.
“This comes as a surprise to me, especially early in the season like this,” said Clark, a Chesapeake, Va., native. “I just want to be able to run the ballclub and maintain the same discipline and level of play as coach Miller would.”
The Spartans play their first home game of the season this Saturday when they host West Virginia at 1 p.m.
