YSU tabs Martin as next women’s coach

She went 70-23 at Indiana (Pa.) the last three seasons.

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State will name its new women’s basketball coach today.

YSU athletic director Ron Strollo is expected to introduce Cathy Martin today at 3 p.m. at a press conference in the Coaches’ Court at Beeghly Center.

Martin has been head coach at Indiana (Pa.) for the last three seasons, compiling a 70-23 record. Her winning percentage of .753 is the best in school history.

This season the Crimson Hawks finished 27-5 and won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship for the second consecutive year.

IUP was ranked as high as fifth in the USA Today/ESPN Women’s Basketball Coaches Association national poll, and Martin was named East Region coach of the year by the WBCA.

The Crimson Hawks defeated California (Pa.) in two of three games, including the PSAC tournament championship game, 67-63. California eventually advanced to the round of eight in the NCAA Division II tournament.

IUP lost to Mount Olive (N.C.) in the first round of the NCAA East Regional.

In 2006-07, Martin led the Crimson Hawks to the program’s first conference championship since 1988 and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. IUP finished with a 24-9 record.

In 2005-06, IUP finished 19-9 and finished in second place in the PSAC West.

Prior to Indiana (Pa.), Martin was the top assistant and recruiting coordinator for four seasons at West Virginia. In 2003-04, the Mountaineers qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 seasons, and the following year they advanced to the Women’s NIT.

Martin helped assemble three straight recruiting classes that were ranked in the top 20 in the nation according to the All-Star Girls Report. The 2003 class was judged the country’s fourth best.

Martin began her college coaching career in 1999 at Sante Fe (Fla.) Junior College, and in 2000 she moved to Seminole (Fla.) Junior College, helping that team to a 24-6 record.

In the summer of 2001 Martin coached Team Florida USA, an academically selected high school team which toured Europe.

She also coached one year as junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant at PK Yonge High School in Gainesville, Fla.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Martin began her playing career at Flagler (Fla.) University, where she was an all-conference guard, averaging 17 points and 5.4 assists per game from 1995-97.

She then transferred to the University of Florida where she was a member of the Gators’ team in 1997-98 that reached the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16.

Martin is a 1999 graduate of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science.

She was selected from a field of 62 candidates, following the resignation of Tisha Hill March 7.