Duncan, Golden Flashes agree to contract extension

Jeff Duncan will open his ninth season as head coach of the Kent State baseball team next week with a new contract.

Duncan agreed to a two-year extension last month according to a copy of the contract, which was obtained by the Record-Courier via a public records request. His last contract, signed in June of 2019, was set to expire following the 2022 season.

Duncan took over the Golden Flashes program in June of 2013, after former head coach Scott Stricklin accepted the position as head coach at Georgia that he still holds. Duncan earned approximately $200,000 annually under his initial contract. The base salary of his new contract is $217,568, and he’s now signed through the 2024 season.

A Flashes baseball program that’s been consistently competitive on a national level since the early 1990s has continued to flourish under Duncan, who has won 30 or more games in every full season since taking charge in 2014.

Kent State baseball coach Jeff Duncan has claimed three MAC regular-season titles

Duncan has compiled a 255-150 record while leading Kent State to three Mid-American Conference overall regular season championships (2016-18) and two MAC Tournament titles (2014, 2018). He was named MAC Coach of the Year three consecutive seasons from 2016-18, and earned the Chuck Tanner College Coach of the Year award in 2018 after leading Kent State to 40 wins for the second time in three years.

“It’s been an excellent time for me here,” said Duncan. “When I first got here you just don’t know what to expect, and I've really fallen in love with the place. I think it’s a tremendous baseball program that I'm looking to continue to build. We've hit some stumbling blocks in the last couple of years, but we’ve had some hurdles to overcome as well that were not expected. We're looking to get back on top. I feel like we have unfinished business.

“I dream of getting to Omaha (the College World Series). It drives me. And I think we can. There’s a mentality here - we believe we can win, we’re so proud. I’m humbled that I can be leading this program.”

The last two years have been rough for the Flashes, based on their lofty standards. The 2020 season ended after 14 games due to the pandemic, then last year they got off to a shaky start in MAC play and had to scramble to keep the program’s streak of 30-win seasons alive. Kent State has reached 30 victories in every full season since 1999.

Ten years ago the Flashes were the talk of the college baseball nation after qualifying for the College World Series. They’ve been gunning for another deep NCAA tourney run since then, and the wheels are all turning in the right direction heading into 2022 according to Duncan.

“I really like where we’re at,” said Duncan. “I have the right coaching staff in place. (Veteran pitching coach Mike Birkbeck) still wants to do this awhile. (Assistant coach) Barrett Serrato is outstanding. Two years ago we were down an assistant. (First-year KSU Director of Athletics) Randale (Richmond) has done such a great job of getting Kent State athletics back to where we’re moving again. We were at a standstill for a while with COVID and some things. Now we’re doing projects. We're putting a brand new batter’s eye in at Schoonover Stadium. We’re going to put a video board in. There’s some growth that’s happening that we need to do so we can keep up with programs around the country and even inside the MAC.

“I’d like to thank Randale and (senior associate athletic director) Trent Stratton for believing in me and our program. I also look forward to more years with (Birkbeck). We’ve developed a great relationship.”

Birkbeck is reportedly close to signing a contract extension of his own. He has guided Kent State’s pitchers since 1997, and has been the program’s associate head coach since 2004.

Kent State coach Jeff Duncan has professional baseball playing experience with the New York Mets

Duncan served as an assistant coach at Purdue for four seasons before taking over at Kent State. The 43-year-old Illinois native played nine seasons as an outfielder at the professional level, including two years with the New York Mets.

When contacted about his contract extension on Wednesday, Duncan was on his way to Schoonover Stadium to help shovel snow off the field.

“I'm required to do so much here, but I love it,” said Duncan. “We drink out of a water hose here. We're blue collar. We work hard, we’re going to play hard, play to win, and we’re going to have more fun than the other team. That part of it all is pretty simple.”

Duncan becomes the fifth Kent State head coach to sign a contract extension since Richmond took over as Director of Athletics last May, joining head football coach Sean Lewis, head men’s basketball coach Rob Senderoff, head women’s basketball coach Todd Starkey and women’s lacrosse head coach Brianne Tierney.

Kent State's baseball team opens the 2022 season Feb. 18 at Coastal Carolina.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent State baseball coach Jeff Duncan has a new contract