Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Dan Skirka
View on Wikipedia
Daniel Skirka is an American college baseball coach and former shortstop. Skirka is the head coach of the Murray State Racers baseball team.
Key Information
Playing career
[edit]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
[edit]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]
In 2025, Skirka led Murray State to the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships, securing the Racers' first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2003 and their fourth in school history.[11] Murray State proceeded to upset regional host Ole Miss to win their first-ever regional championship, which was followed by a Super Regional victory over Duke to punch the Racers' first-ever ticket to the College World Series.[12] Skirka's squad also set a school record for victories (44).
Head coaching record
[edit]| 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 (OVC) | ||||||||
| 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 | ||||
| 2025 | Murray State | 44–17 | 17–8 | T–1st | College World Series | ||||
| Murray State: | 206–151 | 48–31 (MVC) | |||||||
| Total: | 206–151 | ||||||||
|
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
| |||||||||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "2013 Murray State Baseball Guide". www.issuu.com. Murray State University. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ "Dan Skirka 2003-04". www.njcaa.org. National Junior College Athletic Association. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ "Dan Skirka 2004-05". www.njcaa.org. National Junior College Athletic Association. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "2007 GLIAC Baseball All-Conference Teams and Postseason Awards" (PDF). www.gliac.prestosports.com. Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "OBU baseball to hold skills camp". www.obusignal.com. The OBU Signal. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ Chris Fuller (January 7, 2015). "Walters State Recruiting Coordinator Dan Skirka Talks JUCO Baseball". www.prebaseballreport.com. Prep Baseball Report. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ Edward Marlowe (July 2, 2018). "Skirka introduced as MSU baseball coach". www.paducahsun.com. BLOX Content Management System. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
- ^ "Racers Complete Dream Season - Win MVC Tournament Championship". Murray State Baseball. May 24, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
- ^ Casselberry, Ian (June 9, 2025). "College World Series: Murray State clinches final spot in Omaha with 5-4 win over Duke". Yahoo Sports.