VIDEO | Penguin progress

YSU's new basketball coach

Video

Cindy Martin has been appointed the new coach for the YSU Women's Basketball Team.

By Pete Mollica

New YSU women’s basketball coach Cindy Martin expects a winning season

YOUNGSTOWN — Cindy Martin hates to lose.

She describes herself as the most competitive person you will ever meet.

For the past three years, the 32-year-old has posted a 70-23 record at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, won two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships and made two straight appearances in the Division II NCAA postseason tournament.

Now Martin might be taking on the biggest challenge of her coaching career. Friday, she was named the head women’s basketball coach at Youngstown State University.

Martin, who spent four years as the top assistant and recruiting director at West Virginia University, has posted records of 19-9, 24-9 and 27-5 in her three years at IUP.

The Florida native is thrilled to be at YSU.

“It is so exciting just to be here,” Martin said. “It’s like a dream come true.

“The experience that I’ve had at IUP was been unbelievable, but on Thursday that era ended and today I’ve begun a new one here,” Martin said.

“I met my team of young ladies today for the first time and I strongly feel that all the right pieces are in place and I also feel there is no reason we can’t win right away in the Horizon League,” Martin said.

Martin, who was introduced Friday by YSU President Dr. David Sweet, said that there was no magic in what she accomplished at IUP.

“No magic, just a lot of hard work,” Martin said. “You have to teach them on the court and we’re going to fix a few things here right away.”

YSU Athletic Director Ron Strollo, who took less than a week to select Martin, feels that the Penguins have gotten a good one.

“Cindy Martin embodies all of the essential characteristics and qualities that we were looking for in our next women’s basketball coach,” Strollo said. “Not only does she bring a successful history as a head coach and proven track record of Division I recruiting experience, she has been an integral part of restoring and rebuilding two women’s basketball programs.”

“Coach Martin has also displayed a commitment to the shaping of the whole student-athlete from on-court successes to community service and academic excellence.”

Martin, who received a five-year contract at $95,000 per year, takes over the program for Tisha Hill, who resigned after five seasons that didn’t include a winning year and had three 20-loss seasons.

Martin inherits a program that has not had a winning season since 1999-2000 when the Penguins posted a 22-9 record and made their second appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament.

Martin feels that recruiting is very important.

“It’s very important to any program, but it would also be a mistake to overlook the 10 young ladies we have coming back to the program,” Martin said. “We need to sign a few new players, but I feel that we have a nucleus already here that can be a winner.”

The Penguins have six seniors and four juniors returning next season.

“There is a lot of work to be done this spring so that we get off to a great start next fall,” Martin said. “The first think I need to do is to get to know the ladies who are currently on the team.

Guard Kelsey Gurganis, who will be a senior next fall, is excited about the new coach.

“Just talking with her I think that she will be tough on us, but fair and that probably what we need,” Gurganis said. “I like the way she talks about us winning right away in the league, because we all feel that we have the capabilities to do just that.”

Martin knows about past history of the Penguins.

“I’d certainly like to come in here and duplicate the run they had back in the ‘90s,” she said.

She says that she’s not ready to announce her coaching staff for next season, but that she has a game plan and will follow it.

mollica@vindy.com