Baseball
Marlin Ikenberry
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- ikenbemm@jmu.edu
- Phone:
- 540-568-3932
- Physical Address:
- Memorial 1150 (395 South High St.) / MSC 6925
Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne announced in February 2024 a two-year contract extension to head baseball coach Marlin Ikenberry through the 2026 season. By virtue of the program's fourth-place finish in the Sun Belt in 2024, Ikenberry is now under contract through 2028.
“Baseball has been a challenging sport to evaluate over the course of the last two or three years,” Bourne said. “Every sport has been impacted by COVID and the overall unique circumstances we’ve navigated, but baseball is so rooted in day-to-day routine and repetition, which became completely disrupted for over two years. This year there were so many bright spots early in the year before the team became decimated by injuries to key players. Marlin addressed some challenges during his tenure and positioned the team for success before the rug got pulled out. As we transition to one of the nation’s top baseball conferences in the Sun Belt, we look forward to Marlin’s potential to recover from these last few years and keep building upwards.”
The ninth season at JMU for Ikenberry was a memorable one, as the 2024 team made a regional for the first time since 2011 with an at-large bid. The Dukes went 36-25 overall and 17-13 in Sun Belt plays, marking the most overall wins and the most conference wins since 2011. The Dukes won three games against ranked opponents in the year, opening the season with a win over No. 3 Arkansas in the first weekend to tie the program's highest ranked win. They then took down No. 16 Coastal Carolina before eliminating No. 21 Louisiana from the Sun Belt tournament. JMU earned the fourth seed in the tournament before receiving its first at-large bid to the NCAA tournament since 2002, as it was sent to the Raleigh Regional where it advanced to the regional final before losing to host NC State. The team etched their name into multiple program top 10's for a season, highlighed by the second most home runs in program history. Ikenberry earned JMU win No. 200 and career win No. 500 during the season.
Three Dukes were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, as Fenwick Trimble was selected in the fourth round by the Miami Marlins, followed by Jason Schiavone in the 11th round by the Houston Astros and Joe Vogatsky in the 19th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Completing his eighth season at JMU in 2023, the Dukes finished at 31-25 in their first season in the Sun Belt Conference while winning their most league games since 2011 by going 15-13 in Sun Belt play. Fenwick Trimble and Jack Cone earned All-Sun Belt honors, both being selected to the Second Team, while the team found success at the plate and in the field by having the highest team batting average since 2013 and finishing the season with the second highest fielding percentage in program history. Joe Vogatsky was selected in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB Draft after the season by the Toronto Blue Jays.
In his seventh season at the helm of the program for the 2022 season, the Dukes went 27-26 and won 12 conference games for the most in a season since 2016. Seven Dukes earned All-Conference nods, as Travis Reifsnider and Ryan Dooley were named to the First Team, Liam McDonnell, Chase DeLauter, Kyle Novak and Trevon Dabney earned Second Team honors and Fenwick Trimble and Dooley both earned All-Rookie selections. The seven All-Conference selections were the most JMU has had since 2010. The team also made a jump in their fielding, posting a .971 fielding percentage that is the second highest ever in program history.
From 2020-22, Ikenberry coached Chase DeLauter who went on to be drafted 16th overall in the first round by the Cleveland Guardians in the 2022 MLB Draft. DeLauter becomes the highest ever draft pick in program history.
In 2021 during a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dukes went 11-17. Three Dukes were named to All-Conference teams in Chase DeLauter, Conor Hartigan, and Lliam Grubbs. Grubbs and Michael Morgan both saw their names be put on watch lists for national awards, and the Dukes were second in the CAA in team hitting. Ikenberry earned his 400th career win on March 14 in a 12-7 win over his alma mater VMI.
In 2020, the Dukes finished with a 10-6 record. All following contests in the 2020 season were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dukes had multiple players starting the year off strong, including Chase DeLauter, Justin Showalter, and Nick Zona.
In 2019, the Dukes posted a 31-26 record, becoming the first team since the 2011 season to post a winning record and win more than 30 games. The Dukes landed four players on CAA All-Conference teams. Fox Semones and Nick Robertson led the way for the Dukes, both earning spots on the first-team. Trevon Dabney and Kyle Novak both earned their way onto the third-team and the All-Rookie team for their freshman performances. The Dukes pitching staff also recorded 553 strikeouts on the season to shatter the previous program record.
In 2018, Ikenberry led the Dukes to a 26-26 overall record, marking the best finish since the 2011 campaign. For the second consecutive year, the Dukes landed five players on CAA All-Conference teams. Adam Sisk and Fox Semones led the way, earning spots on the Third Team. Three freshman secured spots on the All-Rookie team in Nick Stewart, Michael Morgan and Josh Jones. The three All-Rookie selections are the most by JMU since 2008.
In 2017, the Dukes matched their win total from the previous year in four fewer games, finishing at 24-27. JMU garnered national attention, receiving votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, and collecting two Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week awards (Brett Johnson - Feb 27, Colton Harlow - March 13). The Dukes placed five players on CAA All-Conference teams, highlighted by Adam Sisk on the All-CAA Second Team. Kevin Kellyand Fox Semones were named Collegiate Baseball Freshmen All-Americans, the first time since 2008 that JMU has had multiple players receive the honor.
Following the 2017 campaign, junior infielder Kyle McPherson and senior pitcher Brandon Withers were each selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, marking the first time in three years that a JMU player was selected. McPherson was picked up in the 26th round (786th pick overall) by the San Francisco Giants, while Withers went in the 31st round (921st pick) to the Oakland Athletics.
In 2016, his first year at the helm of the JMU, Ikenberry led the Dukes to a 24-31 record, a six-win improvement over the previous season. JMU went 13-11 in Colonial Athletic Association play to finish the regular season fourth place in the conference. The Dukes took down Northeastern 3-2 for their first CAA tournament win since 2013. Five players earned All-CAA honors and four were named VaSID All-State, including Ky Parrott, who was First Team for both organizations, while senior reliever Ben Garner signed a free-agent contact with the Los Angeles Angels following the season.
Ikenberry previously served as head coach at Virginia Military Institute from 2004-14, racking up 282 wins, the most in program history, and leading the Keydets to numerous school records.
He departed VMI in 2014 as the Institute's longest-serving head coach and was instrumental in turning around a program that had won more than 20 games just twice in the nine seasons prior to his tenure. In 11 seasons with Ikenberry at the helm, the Keydets dipped below the 20-win mark just twice and posted the first three 30-win seasons in program history.
Prior to being named head coach, Ikenberry served as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at VMI under head coach Tom Slater beginning in 2001. After Slater's departure for a coaching job at the University of Florida, Ikenberry was tabbed to head up the program and the decision paid immediate dividends.
Ikenberry returned to his alma mater for the 2001 season after spending three years at William and Mary as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2000, his final season in Williamsburg, the Tribe racked up a school-record 32 wins. The following year, William and Mary won the only Colonial Athletic Association title in program history.
After guiding the Keydets to 23 wins in 2004 and 27 in 2005, Ikenberry led VMI to 30 victories in 2006 and 34 in 2007, a single-season mark that still stands as the best in program history.
Over the course of his 11 seasons, VMI averaged more than 25 wins per season. Prior to Ikenberry taking the reins, the 25-win 2003 campaign--Ikenberry's third and final year as recruiting coordinator before stepping in as head coach--marked the only time the Keydets had reached that mark in a single season. From 2004-2014, 15 VMI players were selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
In 2015, Ikenberry served as the Vice President for Business Development at ARMS Software, which develops recruiting, management and scouting software for collegiate athletic departments across the country.
Ikenberry began his collegiate baseball career as a four-year starting catcher for the Keydets. While playing, he developed a reputation for his excellent defensive skills and his handling of the pitching staff. He also caught for former VMI and Major League pitcher Ryan Glynn. He played on VMI's 1993 squad that advanced to the Southern Conference Championship game and ranked third nationally in defense.
A native of Richmond, Va., Ikenberry has two brothers who also attended VMI. Twin brother Merlin Ikenberry was a teammate as a pitcher and designated hitter while his oldest brother Steve Ikenberry is an alum of the class of 1980. Marlin married the former Shannon Marshall in August 2000 and the couple has two sons.
“Baseball has been a challenging sport to evaluate over the course of the last two or three years,” Bourne said. “Every sport has been impacted by COVID and the overall unique circumstances we’ve navigated, but baseball is so rooted in day-to-day routine and repetition, which became completely disrupted for over two years. This year there were so many bright spots early in the year before the team became decimated by injuries to key players. Marlin addressed some challenges during his tenure and positioned the team for success before the rug got pulled out. As we transition to one of the nation’s top baseball conferences in the Sun Belt, we look forward to Marlin’s potential to recover from these last few years and keep building upwards.”
The ninth season at JMU for Ikenberry was a memorable one, as the 2024 team made a regional for the first time since 2011 with an at-large bid. The Dukes went 36-25 overall and 17-13 in Sun Belt plays, marking the most overall wins and the most conference wins since 2011. The Dukes won three games against ranked opponents in the year, opening the season with a win over No. 3 Arkansas in the first weekend to tie the program's highest ranked win. They then took down No. 16 Coastal Carolina before eliminating No. 21 Louisiana from the Sun Belt tournament. JMU earned the fourth seed in the tournament before receiving its first at-large bid to the NCAA tournament since 2002, as it was sent to the Raleigh Regional where it advanced to the regional final before losing to host NC State. The team etched their name into multiple program top 10's for a season, highlighed by the second most home runs in program history. Ikenberry earned JMU win No. 200 and career win No. 500 during the season.
Three Dukes were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, as Fenwick Trimble was selected in the fourth round by the Miami Marlins, followed by Jason Schiavone in the 11th round by the Houston Astros and Joe Vogatsky in the 19th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Completing his eighth season at JMU in 2023, the Dukes finished at 31-25 in their first season in the Sun Belt Conference while winning their most league games since 2011 by going 15-13 in Sun Belt play. Fenwick Trimble and Jack Cone earned All-Sun Belt honors, both being selected to the Second Team, while the team found success at the plate and in the field by having the highest team batting average since 2013 and finishing the season with the second highest fielding percentage in program history. Joe Vogatsky was selected in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB Draft after the season by the Toronto Blue Jays.
In his seventh season at the helm of the program for the 2022 season, the Dukes went 27-26 and won 12 conference games for the most in a season since 2016. Seven Dukes earned All-Conference nods, as Travis Reifsnider and Ryan Dooley were named to the First Team, Liam McDonnell, Chase DeLauter, Kyle Novak and Trevon Dabney earned Second Team honors and Fenwick Trimble and Dooley both earned All-Rookie selections. The seven All-Conference selections were the most JMU has had since 2010. The team also made a jump in their fielding, posting a .971 fielding percentage that is the second highest ever in program history.
From 2020-22, Ikenberry coached Chase DeLauter who went on to be drafted 16th overall in the first round by the Cleveland Guardians in the 2022 MLB Draft. DeLauter becomes the highest ever draft pick in program history.
In 2021 during a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dukes went 11-17. Three Dukes were named to All-Conference teams in Chase DeLauter, Conor Hartigan, and Lliam Grubbs. Grubbs and Michael Morgan both saw their names be put on watch lists for national awards, and the Dukes were second in the CAA in team hitting. Ikenberry earned his 400th career win on March 14 in a 12-7 win over his alma mater VMI.
In 2020, the Dukes finished with a 10-6 record. All following contests in the 2020 season were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dukes had multiple players starting the year off strong, including Chase DeLauter, Justin Showalter, and Nick Zona.
In 2019, the Dukes posted a 31-26 record, becoming the first team since the 2011 season to post a winning record and win more than 30 games. The Dukes landed four players on CAA All-Conference teams. Fox Semones and Nick Robertson led the way for the Dukes, both earning spots on the first-team. Trevon Dabney and Kyle Novak both earned their way onto the third-team and the All-Rookie team for their freshman performances. The Dukes pitching staff also recorded 553 strikeouts on the season to shatter the previous program record.
In 2018, Ikenberry led the Dukes to a 26-26 overall record, marking the best finish since the 2011 campaign. For the second consecutive year, the Dukes landed five players on CAA All-Conference teams. Adam Sisk and Fox Semones led the way, earning spots on the Third Team. Three freshman secured spots on the All-Rookie team in Nick Stewart, Michael Morgan and Josh Jones. The three All-Rookie selections are the most by JMU since 2008.
In 2017, the Dukes matched their win total from the previous year in four fewer games, finishing at 24-27. JMU garnered national attention, receiving votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll, and collecting two Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week awards (Brett Johnson - Feb 27, Colton Harlow - March 13). The Dukes placed five players on CAA All-Conference teams, highlighted by Adam Sisk on the All-CAA Second Team. Kevin Kellyand Fox Semones were named Collegiate Baseball Freshmen All-Americans, the first time since 2008 that JMU has had multiple players receive the honor.
Following the 2017 campaign, junior infielder Kyle McPherson and senior pitcher Brandon Withers were each selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, marking the first time in three years that a JMU player was selected. McPherson was picked up in the 26th round (786th pick overall) by the San Francisco Giants, while Withers went in the 31st round (921st pick) to the Oakland Athletics.
In 2016, his first year at the helm of the JMU, Ikenberry led the Dukes to a 24-31 record, a six-win improvement over the previous season. JMU went 13-11 in Colonial Athletic Association play to finish the regular season fourth place in the conference. The Dukes took down Northeastern 3-2 for their first CAA tournament win since 2013. Five players earned All-CAA honors and four were named VaSID All-State, including Ky Parrott, who was First Team for both organizations, while senior reliever Ben Garner signed a free-agent contact with the Los Angeles Angels following the season.
Ikenberry previously served as head coach at Virginia Military Institute from 2004-14, racking up 282 wins, the most in program history, and leading the Keydets to numerous school records.
He departed VMI in 2014 as the Institute's longest-serving head coach and was instrumental in turning around a program that had won more than 20 games just twice in the nine seasons prior to his tenure. In 11 seasons with Ikenberry at the helm, the Keydets dipped below the 20-win mark just twice and posted the first three 30-win seasons in program history.
Prior to being named head coach, Ikenberry served as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at VMI under head coach Tom Slater beginning in 2001. After Slater's departure for a coaching job at the University of Florida, Ikenberry was tabbed to head up the program and the decision paid immediate dividends.
Ikenberry returned to his alma mater for the 2001 season after spending three years at William and Mary as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2000, his final season in Williamsburg, the Tribe racked up a school-record 32 wins. The following year, William and Mary won the only Colonial Athletic Association title in program history.
After guiding the Keydets to 23 wins in 2004 and 27 in 2005, Ikenberry led VMI to 30 victories in 2006 and 34 in 2007, a single-season mark that still stands as the best in program history.
Over the course of his 11 seasons, VMI averaged more than 25 wins per season. Prior to Ikenberry taking the reins, the 25-win 2003 campaign--Ikenberry's third and final year as recruiting coordinator before stepping in as head coach--marked the only time the Keydets had reached that mark in a single season. From 2004-2014, 15 VMI players were selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
In 2015, Ikenberry served as the Vice President for Business Development at ARMS Software, which develops recruiting, management and scouting software for collegiate athletic departments across the country.
Ikenberry began his collegiate baseball career as a four-year starting catcher for the Keydets. While playing, he developed a reputation for his excellent defensive skills and his handling of the pitching staff. He also caught for former VMI and Major League pitcher Ryan Glynn. He played on VMI's 1993 squad that advanced to the Southern Conference Championship game and ranked third nationally in defense.
A native of Richmond, Va., Ikenberry has two brothers who also attended VMI. Twin brother Merlin Ikenberry was a teammate as a pitcher and designated hitter while his oldest brother Steve Ikenberry is an alum of the class of 1980. Marlin married the former Shannon Marshall in August 2000 and the couple has two sons.
| The Marlin Ikenberry File |
|---|
| Alma Mater | VMI '95 |
| Wife | Shannon |
| Children | Owen and Gavin |
| Coaching Experience |
|---|
| 1998-2000 | Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, William & Mary |
| 2001-2003 | Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, VMI |
| 2004-2014 | Head Coach, VMI |
| 2016-Present | Head Coach, James Madison |
| Playing Experience |
|---|
| 1992-1995 | Letterwinner at VMI |
| Ikenberry Year-by-Year |
|---|
| All-Time Record | 502-516-1 (.493) - 20 seasons |
| 2004 | 23-32 |
| 2005 | 27-28 |
| 2006 | 30-25 |
| 2007 | 34-21 | Single-season VMI record for wins |
| 2008 | 29-26 |
| 2009 | 18-35 |
| 2010 | 33-22 |
| 2011 | 27-24-1 |
| 2012 | 16-36 |
| 2013 | 20-35 |
| 2014 | 25-23 |
| VMI Record | 282-307-1 (.479) - 11 seasons |
| 2016 | 24-31 |
| 2017 | 24-27 |
| 2018 | 26-26 |
| 2019 | 31-26 |
| 2020 | 10-6 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | 11-17 |
| 2022 | 27-26 |
| 2023 | 31-25 |
| 2024 | 36-25 | Raleigh Regional Runner Up |
| JMU Record | 220-209 (.513) - 9 seasons |
| Ikenberry Postseason, Team and Player Awards as a Head Coach |
|---|
| MLB Draft Selections | 28 |
| Professional Free Agent Signings | 10 |
| NCAA All-American Selections | 2 |
| NCAA Freshman All-American Selections | 5 |
| Johnny Bench Award Semifinalists | 1 |
| ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team Selections | 1 |
| NCAA All-Region Selections | 1 |
| Sun Belt All-Conference Selections | 3 |
| CAA All-Conference Selections | 22 |
| CAA All-Rookie Selections | 10 |
| Big South Conference Selections | 23 |
| Big South Conference Player of the Year | 1 |
| Big South Conference Freshman of the Year | 1 |
| VaSID All-State Selections | 23 |
| All-ECAC Selections | 2 |