Mike Martin returns as Abilene Christian head basketball coach For immediate release July 14, 1999 Mike Martin, who earlier coached Abilene Christian University to three straight Lone Star Conference championships, has been named head coach for the ACU men's basketball team. Martin, 56, replaces Shanon Hays, who resigned two weeks ago to take a job as an assistant coach at Texas Tech University. Martin is one of the most successful coaches in ACU basketball history, having compiled 123-98 mark in his previous stint as the ACU head coach (1980-88), including a 76-35 record in his last four seasons. After leaving ACU, Martin spent two years as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin before returning to the high school ranks. Martin returned to the ACU bench in 1997 as the assistant coach to Hays. The tandem led ACU to the south central region championship game last season, losing to eventual national semifinalist Truman State (Mo.), 76-69. Now, however, Martin is returning as the head coach. "I'm very appreciative of the opportunity to be a head coach again," Martin said. "When Shanon and I talked about me coming back here, I thought I would be here for a year or two and then move on to a head coaching opportunity. I'm glad that chance came here at ACU. Things happen for a reason, and the good Lord opened a door for me. I feel very fortunate." ACU director of athletics Stan Lambert said the choice of Martin is the right one at the right time for the university. "Mike brings continuity and enthusiasm to the program," Lambert said. "His familiarity with the program and the relationships he's already established with our student-athletes will help ensure a smooth transition. "For the past two years Mike has worked extensively in helping instill in our players the qualities that are consistent with and support the mission of ACU," he said. "Mike Martin is the right choice for this job at this time, and we're all excited about his move into the role as head coach." Martin is the only man in the 67-year history of the Lone Star Conference to win Coach of the Year three straight times in men's basketball. Under Martin, the Wildcats won the LSC title in 1984-85, 1985-86 and 1986-87; played in the NCAA Division II south region tournament in 1986 and 1987; and won straight 44 home games at Moody Coliseum from Feb. 20, 1984, through Jan. 4, 1988, when Angelo State snapped the streak with a 78-76 victory. His teams were ranked as high as 12th in the NCAA Division II poll. His LSC title teams were 18-10 in 1984-85, 23-7 in 1985-86 and 18-8 in 1986-87. The Wildcats also won the LSC Post-Season Tournament three straight years. Martin came to ACU before the 1980-81 season after the resignation of Willard Tate. In his first collegiate head coaching position, he was 84-78 in six seasons at his alma mater, Southeastern Oklahoma State University. His team at Southeastern won the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference title in 1979-80, and his teams reached the NCAA playoffs three of his six seasons. Martin resigned from his post at ACU on March 1, 1988, saying that he wanted to fulfill a lifelong ambition of being a head coach on the Division I level. He found that job at Stephen F. Austin and was 12-40 in two seasons at SFA. He then returned to the high school ranks, last coaching at West Mesa High School in Albuquerque, N.M., before returning to ACU in July 1997 as the assistant basketball coach. A 1961 graduate of Durant, Okla., High School, Martin received bachelor's (1965) and master's (1966) degrees in physical education from Southeastern. Before coaching at Southeastern, he coach Manzano High School in Albuquerque, N.M., to two Class 4A state championships in 1973 and 1974. Martin takes over a program that has been one of the best in the LSC the last two seasons. The 1997-98 team finished 22-6 and reached the LSC tournament semifinals, and last year's team finished 21-8 and reached the region championship game. Six lettermen return from last year's squad, including pre-season all-America candidate Peter Kiganya, who was named to the south central region all-tournament team. The 6-8 junior forward averaged 12.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last year. "In every situation, I felt this was the right thing for me," Martin said. "I've been involved in every aspect of our program the last two years, and I've been heavily involved in recruiting our players. All our kids fit as far as the way we want to run our program; everything was a fit for me. In my heart I've always felt like I was the man for this job. "I think this can really be something special," he said. "My dream is for our basketball program to be like our men's and women's track and field program. I know that's a big challenge, but that's my goal." MARTIN'S COLLEGIATE COACHING RECORD Years School W L Pct. Post-Season 1974-75 SE Oklahoma 6 29 .231 1975-76 SE Oklahoma 18 9 .667 NAIA District 9 Playoffs 1976-77 SE Oklahoma 14 12 .538 1977-78 SE Oklahoma 16 12 .571 NAIA District 9 Playoffs 1978-79 SE Oklahoma 10 16 .385 1979-80 SE Oklahoma 20 9 .690 NAIA District 9 Playoffs 1980-81 Abilene Christian 10 17 .370 1981-82 Abilene Christian 9 17 .346 1982-83 Abilene Christian 14 14 .500 1983-84 Abilene Christian 14 15 .483 1984-85 *Abilene Christian 18 10 .643 1985-86 *Abilene Christian 23 7 .767 NCAA Regional 1986-87 *Abilene Christian 18 8 .692 NCAA Regional 1987-88 Abilene Christian 17 10 .629 1988-89 Stephen F. Austin 10 18 .357 1989-90 Stephen F. Austin 2 22 .083 TOTALS 219 216 .503 MEN'S:  Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Football | Golf | Tennis | Track and Field WOMEN'S:  Basketball | Cross Country | Softball | Tennis | Track and Field | Volleyball ACU Sports Home | Lone Star Conference | NCAA Last update: July 14, 1999 This page is maintained by Jeremy Parish, parishj@nicanor.acu.edu. Questions concerning this information to Brent Rhodes, rhodesb@nicanor.acu.edu http://www.acu.edu/sports/news/990714-martin.html