Veteran of the UTSA athletics department, head baseball coach Jason Marshall is in his seventh season, 19th overall, as the Roadrunners skipper in 2019. Marshall served as an assistant coach and then associate head coach for 12 seasons before being promoted.
UTSA’s winningest baseball coach (by percentage), Marshall led the program to consecutive 30-plus win seasons in his first three years and has amassed a 149-138 (.519) career record. In his third season, Marshall became the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins when he led the Roadrunners to a 4-3 victory over Middle Tennessee on May 9, 2015, en route to a berth to the Conference USA Baseball Championship in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Since his arrival, Marshall has seen 27 players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft and another 12 sign as free agents. The Roadrunners have seen at least one player either drafted or sign in each of the program’s last 20 seasons.
In 2002, Marshall’s second season at UTSA, Mark Schramek became the first player in school history to be selected in the first round when he was the 40th overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds. Daniel Rockett became the second highest selection in program annals in June 2013 when the Kansas City Royals took him in the ninth round.
The Texas A&M graduate has also seen his players recognized at the national level. Most recently, in 2015, Jesse Baker became the program’s third-ever All-American in school history since Michael Rockett was recognized in 2008. Baker concluded his junior campaign ranked in the top-50 in the nation in six statistical categories. That same year, Katy native Trent Bowles became the program’s seventh overall freshman All-American after boasting a .283 batting average as an outfielder.
In a span of two different conferences, Marshall has also had numerous student-athletes recognized in the end-of-year awards. He’s mentored 14 first-teamers, 25 second-teamers and 18 third-team selections over 17 seasons. Off the field, Marshall also has seen a total of 25 players earn academic all-conference recognition.
His most successful season at the helm of the Roadrunners baseball program came in his first year in 2013 as he guided the Birds to a 35-25 overall record and the team’s third appearance to an NCAA regional. The Roadrunners captured the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament championship title after posting a perfect 4-0 record. UTSA was sent to the Corvallis (Oregon) Regional and took the No. 3 seed Oregon State to its last at-bat before the Beavers rallied for a 5-4 victory. The Roadrunners wrapped up their first postseason run in eight years the following day with a 6-1 loss to Texas A&M.
Three UTSA players - Daniel Rockett (9th round - Kansas City Royals), Riley Good (14th round - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) and Clint Sharp (38th round - Angels) - were drafted after the campaign concluded, while right-handed pitcher Brock Hartson was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Third baseman RJ Perucki earned first team all-league honors, while Good, Hartson and Rockett garnered second team accolades.
In UTSA’s first and only season in the WAC, the Roadrunners led the circuit with a .299 batting average and 629 hits. Perucki (.350 - 5th) and Good (.335 - 9th) both ranked among the top-10 batting averages in the league and the duo tied for second in the WAC with 84 hits apiece. Perucki also finished second in the circuit with 132 total bases and third with 12 home runs, while Rockett’s .562 slugging percentage was good for third.
Since then, Marshall has continued to put together impressive seasons. In 2014, the Roadrunners inaugural season in Conference USA, he guided UTSA to a 35-26 overall record and led the squad to the championship game of the Conference USA Baseball Championship. The Roadrunners matched up with No. 16 Rice but had their season come to an end in the final two innings.
The last two seasons, he’s scheduled quality opponents with the 2015 slate arguably one of the toughest in recent years. That year, UTSA faced seven teams that earned a regional berth, including a pair that made an appearance at the College World Series. UTSA went 9-8 against those teams and captured series wins against La.-Lafayette, Old Dominion and Bryant.
Before earning the title as skipper, Marshall spent the past 12 years on the Roadrunners’ coaching staff, including nine as associate head coach from 2004-12.
The Abilene native was hired at UTSA prior to the 2001 season and spent three campaigns as an assistant before being promoted to associate head coach. He served as both the infielders coach and recruiting coordinator while running the Roadrunners’ summer camps.
At the time, his efforts on the recruiting trails resulted in numerous postseason accolades for UTSA along with the 2007 and 2008 Southland Conference regular season championships and the 2005 Southland and 2013 WAC Tournament crowns.
The Roadrunners have posted the top-5 fielding seasons under Marshall’s guidance, including a .965 fielding percentage in 2012, which is the second-best mark in school history. Ten years ago, UTSA led the Southland with a program-record .969 fielding percentage.
The Birds have set several individual team records during Marshall’s time in the Alamo City. UTSA posted 15 offensive season marks in the program’s annals, including hits (661 - 2009), home runs (89 - 2009), RBI (419 - 2008) and doubles (134 -2008). The Birds have also set five fielding records, including assists (688 -2001) and doubles plays (61 - 2011).
Meanwhile, individuals have set offensive records in 15 season and 14 career categories over the last dozen seasons, including former Roadrunner Michael Rockett, who owns the Southland career records with 940 at-bats, 337 hits, 210 RBI, 537 total bases and 64 doubles.
A standout performer at Texas A&M from 1989-92, he was named the Aggies’ Most Valuable Player after leading the team in games played (61), hits (66), runs scored (35) and RBIs (40) as a senior.
Following his collegiate career, Marshall was drafted by the Royals in the 13th round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He went on to play four seasons in the Royals organization before finishing his professional career in 1995.
He then entered the coaching ranks as a student assistant at his alma mater in 1996 and was a member of Texas A&M’s staff for two seasons. In summer 1997, Marshall coached with the Cotuit Kettleers in the prestigious Cape Cod League.
The following fall, he was hired as the assistant in charge of defense and recruiting at McMurry University. Marshall helped lead the Indians to postseason play in two of his three seasons and, in 1998, McMurry won the American Southwest Conference regular season and tournament championships.
Marshall served on the American Baseball Coaches Association’s Lefty Gomez Award committee and, in 2001, was invited to speak at the group’s annual convention on the subject of infield play. He was the keynote speaker again in 2009, this time in coaching ethics. He also was presented with the Goodwill Ambassador Award for community service in 1993 and 1994 while playing for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Class A affiliate of the Royals.
Marshall earned a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from Texas A&M in 1996. He and wife, Ashleigh, have two sons, Cooper and Jackson, and a daughter, Kate.
