Bio

A chance encounter with Chargers coaching legend Dick Lowry in 1981 led Mark Baker to Hillsdale as a football player and starting kicker.

Now, over 40 years later, the Hillsdale legend is still playing an important role in the success of the program as the Chargers' kicking coach.

Baker, a native of nearby Jonesville, joined the Chargers for the 1982 season after encountering Lowry while working for his father's store and earning an impromptu try-out, and went on to become a kicking legend for the Chargers. He played a critical role in Hillsdale's 1985 NAIA National Championship, kicking an overtime field goal in the national semifinal at Colorado Mesa to give the Chargers a 24-21 victory, and hitting a field goal and extra point that proved crucial to a 10-10 tie with Central Arkansas in the national championship game that helped secure a share of Hillsdale's only team national championship in school history.

At the time of his graduation, Baker was fourth all-time among Hillsdale kickers in career made field goals (23), and his 1985 season point total (73) was fourth best among kickers in Charger history. While several excellent kickers have come and gone at Hillsdale in the years since Baker graduated, his marks are still in the top 10 in both categories. 

As a coach, Baker also has made a big impact for Hillsdale, helping the Charger football program as a volunteer kicking and punting coach and leading Hillsdale College specialists to a combined seven All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors during his tenure, including first-team honors for kickers Joe Philipp in 2018 and Bryce Sealock in 2019.

Since his graduation in 1986, Baker has gone on to tremendous success in his working life, serving as a CFO, treasurer and part-owner of three manufacturing companies and an electrical services company that combined generate $65 million dollars of revenue annually and employ around 300 people.

His wife, Tiffany, also owns a gym, Center Lake Fitness, where Baker helps out as a certified CrossFit Level II trainer and a certified USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach in his spare time.