Longtime Madison College baseball coach Mike Davenport is part of a select group named to the inaugural National Junior College Athletic Association's (NJCAA) Coaches Legacy Award presented by Nufabrx. The award recognizes and celebrates the all-time winningest coaches in NJCAA history. Davenport, who is in his 21st season at Madison College and 30th in junior college baseball, qualified for the honor by amassing over 1,000 wins in his coaching career. He, along with the other nearly 200 recipients, will be recognized at a special luncheon on June 17 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"I appreciate the NJCAA recognizing people who have dedicated their lives and work to the junior college level and the impacts they have made," said Davenport. "I've been privileged to work in junior college baseball for a long time, coached a lot of terrific student-athletes, and worked alongside some wonderful coaches and staff. Luckily for me, that has added up to a lot of wins and success. It's truly an honor to be listed with so many of these legendary names."

Davenport reached 1,000 career wins in junior college baseball during the 2022 season, and reached 1,100 with the season's final victory at the NJCAA Division II World Series last spring. Madison College's all-time leader in wins with 716, has also led the WolfPack to 13 national tournament appearances and 14 region titles. He has been named Region 4/13 Coach of the Year 15 times. Prior to Madison College, Davenport was the head coach at Kishwaukee College for nine seasons, winning one national title.

"The milestone of 1,000+ wins speaks to the character, approach, and high expectations that Coach Davenport has consistently displayed over his coaching career," stated Director of Athletics Jason Verhelst. "His program continues to be successful and even more importantly well respected. I do not doubt this will continue for the rest of his career. He has helped many players become the best version of themselves, which is a huge part of his legacy at Madison College. I am glad to have had a front row seat to watching him and his teams compete over the years. Congratulations Coach, keep doing what you are doing and Go WolfPack!" 

According to the official release, this is the first time in NJCAA history that the organization has recognized coaches in this manner. "Being able to recognize our coaches, past and present, is a wonderful thing for the NJCAA, our member institutions, the coaches, and their families," said Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President and CEO. "We look forward to having many of these coaches come together for us to celebrate their accomplishments and contributions to the NJCAA later this year."

To see the full list of winners: By Sport w/o Colleges | By Sport w/ Colleges

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