FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

One constant over Mike Martin’s 40 seasons as head coach was Carol Martin. The pair first met at Wingate Junior College in North Carolina and married in June 1964 before moving to Tallahassee that same year. It was the beginning of a six-decade journey together. Mike enrolled at FSU, played on the baseball team and earned his undergraduate degree. He became a Seminole assistant coach in 1975 and took over as head coach in 1980. In that time, Carol raised the couple’s three children. Mike devoted his entire career to the Seminoles, and Carol’s dedication was just as strong. “We fell in love at Florida State from day one,” she said. “When we came to Tallahassee on [our] honeymoon — seriously, we did — from the moment he stepped on campus, he just loved everything about Florida State. … He’s such a die-heart fan at heart.” Mike and Carol were married for 59 years before the coach passed away in 2024 at age 79.