Dan Skirka

Dan Skirka
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamMurray State
ConferenceMissouri Valley
Record165–135
Biographical details
Born (1985-05-20) May 20, 1985 (age 39)[1]
Coldwater, Michigan
Playing career
2004–2005Kellogg Community College
2006–2007Grand Valley State
Position(s)Shortstop
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2008Grand Rapids Community College (asst.)
2009Ouachita Baptist (asst.)
2010–2014Murray State (asst.)
2015–2018Walters State Community College (asst.)
2019–presentMurray State
Head coaching record
Overall165–135
TournamentsMVC:2–4
OVC: 4–4
NCAA: 0–0
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
  • First Team All-GLIAC (2007)

Daniel Skirka is an American college baseball coach and former shortstop. Skirka is the head coach of the Murray State Racers baseball team.

Playing career

Skirka attended Union City High School in Union City, Michigan. Skirka played for the school's varsity baseball team three years, while also playing basketball for four years. Skirka then enrolled at the Kellogg Community College, to play college baseball for the Kellogg Bruins baseball team.

As a freshman at Kellogg Community College in 2004, Skirka had a .273 batting average with 8 RBIs.[2]

As a sophomore in 2005, Skirka batted .358 with 2 home runs, and 35 RBIs.[3]

In the 2006 season as a junior, Skirka accepted a scholarship offer to Grand Valley State University.[4] Skirka won the starting shortstop job for the Lakers. He hit scored 56 runs, while hitting .322 with a .432 on-base percentage (OBP) and 28 RBIs.[5]

Skirka had his best season as a senior in 2007, hitting a career high in doubles (14), triples (5), home runs (7), RBIs (43), batting average (.400) and slugging (.631). He was named First Team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference,[6] Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Region honors and a CoSIDA Academica All-Region selection.[7]

Coaching career

In 2008, Skirka began his coaching career as an assistant at Grand Rapids Community College. In 2009, Skirka was named an assistant for the Ouachita Baptist University.[8] In 2010, Skirka moved on to Murray State University as an assistant coach. Skirka spent two seasons as the first base coach, before moving to third base coach and working with outfielders and hitters.[1] In 2015, Skirka became the recruiting coordinator for the Walters State Community College baseball team.[9]

On July 2, 2018, Skirka returned to Murray State as the head coach of the baseball program.[10]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Murray State Racers (Ohio Valley Conference) (2019–2022)
2019 Murray State 24–30 16–14 T-5th Ohio Valley Tournament
2020 Murray State 10–7 2–1 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Murray State 33–25 18–12 2nd Ohio Valley Tournament
2022 Murray State 30–25 11–13 7th Ohio Valley Tournament
Murray State: 47–40
Murray State Racers (Missouri Valley Conference) (2023–present)
2023 Murray State 31–28 14–13 5th MVC Tournament
2024 Murray State 37–20 17–10 2nd MVC Tournament
Murray State: 165–135 31–23
Total: 165–135

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "2013 Murray State Baseball Guide". www.issuu.com. Murray State University. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  2. ^ "Dan Skirka 2003-04". www.njcaa.org. National Junior College Athletic Association. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  3. ^ "Dan Skirka 2004-05". www.njcaa.org. National Junior College Athletic Association. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  4. ^ "Lakers ink Seven Baseball Recruits". www.cstv.com. CSTV Networks, Inc. June 8, 2005. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  5. ^ "Dan Skirka #8" (PDF). www.grfx.cstv.com. Grand Valley State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  6. ^ "2007 GLIAC Baseball All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards" (PDF). www.gliac.prestosports.com. Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  7. ^ "Several Lakers Earn All-Region Honors". www.gvsulakers.com. Grand Valley State University. May 21, 2007. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  8. ^ "OBU baseball to hold skills camp". www.obusignal.com. The OBU Signal. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  9. ^ Chris Fuller (January 7, 2015). "Walters State Recruiting Coordinator Dan Skirka Talks JUCO Baseball". www.prebaseballreport.com. Prep Baseball Report. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  10. ^ Edward Marlowe (July 2, 2018). "Skirka introduced as MSU baseball coach". www.paducahsun.com. BLOX Content Management System. Retrieved July 4, 2018.