Worcester, Mass. - Legendary Worcester State University baseball coach Dr. Dirk Baker announced that he will be retiring from his role as the Worcester State Head Baseball Coach in order to focus on his administrative duties within the athletic department.

Baker steps down from coaching after 27 years at the helm of Worcester State baseball, by far the longest tenured baseball coach in the 72-year history of the program.

Coach Baker led the Lancers to six MASCAC regular season titles, six MASCAC Playoff titles and six NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1996 when Baker took charge of the Lancers program, he has led Worcester State to a record of 542-418-1 for a .566 winning percentage.

Baker has coached seven MASCAC Players of the Year, three All-Americans, and one CO-SIDA Academic All-American. Over 100 of his players have been named to the All-MASCAC first or second team.

Coach Baker was a standout player at Auburn High School that won the school’s first Central Massachusetts title in his senior year in 1987. A 1991 graduate of Boston University, Baker was a three-year starter, a two-year captain and two-time All-Academic, All-North Atlantic Conference, and a Division I NEIBA All-Star in baseball. He was inducted into the Boston University Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. Coach Baker received his Masters of Education in Human Movement from BU in 1993 and his Doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching in 1998.

“We want to thank Dirk for his leadership of our baseball program over the last 27 years,” said Worcester State Director of Athletics Michael Mudd. “There is not a baseball coach in the Northeast that has worked harder than Dirk to put a successful program on the field. We look forward to his continued commitment to the Lancers Athletic Department while we search for his successor.”

“To all our alumni and staff who have supported the baseball program throughout these years, I would like to say a big thank you for all of your efforts. It has been a great ride. I look forward to remaining with the Lancer Athletic Department in an expanded administrative role.”

“Dirk has developed hundreds of young men over his tenure, preparing them for the real world,” said Mudd. “He has been an integral component of Worcester State’s Athletic Department for a long time."

A search will be begin immediately in order to fill the vacant head coach position.