Courtney Martinez - Softball Coach - Iowa State University Athletics

Courtney Martinez

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
cmart@iastate.edu
Phone:
515-520-2298

Courtney Martinez spent six seasons as a coach in the Iowa State softball program, and her impact was profound. Martinez’s work with the Cyclone infield and at the plate was an integral part of the program’s culture change under head coach Jamie Pinkerton. Beginning her tenure as an assistant coach, Martinez was alter promoted to associate head coach thanks to her stellar work.

Coach Court helped lead a solid year at the plate for the Cyclones in 2023, as ISU again hit 40+ home runs for the fifth time under her tutelage. Martinez saw her hitters grow in the box during 2023, as the team was more patient and struck out the fewest amount of times during the Coach Pinkerton Era. Coach Martinez spent the second half of the 2023 season as the first base coach.

On the infield, Martinez oversaw stellar middle infielders Kasey Simpson and Alesia Ranches who combined to start in 106 of 110 games played. Martinez helped bring along Sarah Tyree, a natural first baseman, at third base as Tyree locked down the hot corner in her senior year.

Martinez's work with the Cyclone offense has lead to an incredible turnaround for the program. The Cyclones have set a new single-season program home run record in three of the four full seasons she has been on staff. ISU’s top four home run-hitting seasons have all come under Martinez. The work culminated in 2021's offense that hit 64 home runs in just 57 games en route to Iowa State's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988, and the school's first-ever appearance in a NCAA Regional Final.

Martinez’s work with Cyclone phenom Sami Williams was instrumental in bringing the ISU program to new heights. With Martinez as a guide, Williams became the first NFCA First Team All-American in program history and was selected No. 8 overall in the Athletes Unlimited collegiate draft. Under's Martinez's tutelage, Williams put together a staggering statistical season in 2021. Williams broke single-season program records for batting average (.446) and home runs (21) on the year with 54 RBI and an incredible .902 slugging percentage. The native of Laguna Niguel, Calif., is departing Iowa State as the school's all-time leader in hits (329), doubles (79), home runs (67), RBI (180), runs scored (212), at-bats (833) and games played (253). She is also the Big 12's all-time leader in career hits, doubles and total bases (627). Her 79 career doubles are tied for third-most in NCAA DI softball history. Her 627 total bases are fourth-most in NCAA history.

In 2019, Martinez helped mold a Cyclone squad that won 37 games, the second-winningest season in program history, and appeared in a national postseason tournament for the first time since 1988. Iowa State was No. 48 in the final RPI rankings, released by the NCAA. It is the highest RPI finish in program history. The resurgence started on defense, where Iowa State has boasted one of the most improved units over the past several seasons under Martinez’s watch.

The infield has seen marked improvement each season they’ve had learning from Martinez. In her first season on staff, Iowa State’s fielding percentage rose to .956, up from .946 in 2017, and took another immense leap in 2019. The 2019 Cyclones were one of the most improved defensive units in the country, ranking third in the Big 12 with a .967 fielding percentage. Iowa State also ranked No. 5 nationally in double plays turned with 32 on the season.

Martinez joined the Cyclone softball family from UNLV, where she had served as the associate head softball coach.

Martinez, who joined the UNLV coaching staff in 2015 as an assistant, was elevated to associate head coach after just one season with the Rebels. During her time at UNLV, Martinez specialized in mentoring the Rebel infield and the team’s hitting instruction, as well as her responsibilities in recruiting.

Martinez arrived at UNLV after two seasons as an assistant at CSU Bakersfield, where she helped the program transition from independent status into the Western Athletic Conference. One year after a sixth-place finish in the team's inaugural season in the WAC, CSUB moved up to fourth in 2015 and claimed runner-up status at the conference's postseason tournament. Under her watch, six student-athletes were named All-WAC, and four were chosen for WAC All-Tournament recognition. In addition, Kelsie Monroe earned the WAC's Pitcher of the Year honors as well as a nod on the NFCA's All-Pacific Region Third Team. In the classroom, the team had 11 individuals earn WAC All-Academic honors and five more selected as NFCA Scholar-Athletes.

The Chino Hills, Calif., native played four years (2006-09) at Cal State Fullerton where she started 217 games and helped the team to four straight NCAA Regionals and one Super Regional in 2007. The Big West recognized her twice when she was named its Player of the Week (2007) and as a Second Team selection (2009). During her senior season, she led the team in batting average (.327), on-base percentage (.402) and slugging percentage (.584). She concluded her career ranked in the top 10 in triples, sacrifice flies, sacrifice bunts and fielding assists.

She played internationally in Italy with Nuoro.

Her coaching career began with two stints as a volunteer assistant at Cal State Fullerton (2009-10) and Azusa Pacific (2010-11). She was promoted to an assistant position at Azusa Pacific in Sept. 2011, where she also served as an academic mentor, athletic compliance assistant and as an assistant supervisor for the university's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Martinez received her undergraduate degree in communications from Cal State Fullerton in 2009. She earned her master’s degree in college counseling and student development from Azusa Pacific four years later.