Marshall University Athletics
Volleyball Names New Assistant Coach
8/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 21, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University athletics department announced the hiring of Kimberly Martinez as the new lead assistant coach for the volleyball program on Friday afternoon. Martinez spent the last three seasons as head coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
"I believe that Kimberly is exactly who we need to help continue to rebuild back to the top of a very strong Conference USA volleyball league," head coach Mitch Jacobs said. "She brings us experience at all levels of the game from a former collegiate head coach, collegiate assistant coach as well as high school and a very high Junior Olympic coaching background. She hit it off with the players immediately and I'd say they read her right when they felt she was really nice but going to be all business in the gym."
Martinez was hired as the head coach of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 2006. At the time of her hiring, she was one of the youngest NCAA Division I coaches in the country at the age of 27. She coached the 2006 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year, Christie Feliz, who ended her career as the school's all-time leader in kills-per-game (3.49).
Prior to Corpus Christi, Martinez served as the top assistant at UTEP for two seasons. For the Miners she served as the recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator as well as the outside hitters coach. The Miners posted a 31-24 overall record, including a 21-10 mark in 2005.
"I am very excited to join the Marshall volleyball program," Martinez said. "I look forward to building on a program that has had a lot of success and a winning tradition."
In January 2005, Martinez was chosen to lead the Sun Country Region Youth High Performance team under the United States Volleyball Association. As co-head coach, she participated in the High Performance Coaches Clinic at the United States Olympic Training Center.
Martinez served as head coach at Caldwell High School in Caldwell, Texas, where she led the Lady Hornets to the 2003 3A State semifinals. She was named the District 18-3A Coach of the Year and the Brazos Valley Area Coach of the Year.
She served as an assistant coach at Rice during the 2002 season. During her tenure the Owls finished 18-16, including an 8-5 record in Western Athletic Conference action. They ranked first in the WAC Eastern Division and tied for fourth overall.
During the past four years, she has coached on the USA Volleyball team and worked with various development teams for the national organization.
Martinez played at Texas A&M-Kingsville from 1996-99. After completing her eligibility, she stayed on as an assistant coach until 2001.
A Sugar Land, Texas native, Martinez graduated in 2001 from Texas A&M-Kingsville with a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology.
"I was very nervous losing both Ellen (Hayes) and Patrick (Nicholas) going into this season, but I believe we are moving in a fantastic direction with the addition of Kimberly and Kariny (Ritter). Kimberly will certainly be able to hit the ground running here and I am very excited to get her here by the end of the week and start developing a routine together," Jacobs said.
