Former UC Bearcat Erik Martin leaves West Virginia, Huggins for head coaching job
As first reported by Blue Gold News, which covers the West Virginia Mountaineers, longtime Bob Huggins assistant coach Erik Martin is leaving to be the head basketball coach at South Carolina State.
The word spread Monday afternoon and Martin acknowledged his departure via Twitter saying, "Thank you West Virginia/Morgantown. It has been my honor to serve you over the past 15 years. As I leave I take nothing but good memories. Once a Mountaineer always a Mountaineer. God bless."
Thank you West Virginia/Morgantown. It has been my honor to serve you over the past 15 years. As I leave I take nothing but good memories. Once a Mountaineer always a Mountaineer. God bless🙏🏾
— Erik Martin (@CoachEMartinWVU) July 11, 2022
Huggins retweeted Martin's farewell. Martin just a few days back had posted the winningest college basketball coaches of all time on his account with Huggins being at No. 4 at 916 wins, four away from No. 3 Jim Calhoun.
According to Monday's Citynet Statewide Sportsline via the West Virginia Metro News, a search firm had reached out to Bob Huggins for the number of another candidate but the Mountaineer head coach suggested Martin, whom he's known since he played for him at Cincinnati.
More: Former UC coach Bob Huggins opens up about HOF, retirement, facing XU, UC's move to Big 12
Huggins hired Martin in 2006 when he took the job for one year at Kansas State. He's been with him at West Virginia since 2007 and has worked with NBA players like Kevin Jones, Joe Alexander, Devin Ebanks and Bill Walker in his college career.
Prior to joining Huggins, he was an assistant at Cincinnati State under another former UC Bearcat Andre Tate.
When the Bearcats' job came vacant after the dismissal of John Brannen, many former UC players supported Martin to return to his alma mater. Martin interviewed for the job, but UNC-Greensboro's Wes Miller was selected.
Despite not getting the job, Martin still joined former Bearcat teammates last football season for UC's opener on campus against Miami University.
At South Carolina State, Martin takes over a team that was 15-16 last season and 7-7 in the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference. The job came open when previous Bulldogs coach Tony Madlock left after one season for Alabama State.
Martin started his playing career at TCU, then came from Santa Ana Community College in his native California to UC along with fellow West Coast JUCO transfers Corie Blount and Terry Nelson.
UC won back-to-back Great Midwest championships during his two seasons winning 56 of 66 games. They made the 1992 Final Four in Minneapolis going 29-5, then lost in overtime in the Elite Eight in 1993 to eventual national champions North Carolina.
Martin averaged 6.3 points and 4.0 rebounds as a sixth man his junior season and started all 31 games of his senior season averaging 13.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He shot over 57% during his Bearcat career.
Teammates Blount and Nick Van Exel went on to NBA careers while Martin had stints in the CBA and overseas before settling into coaching, eventually joining his college coach.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ex- Cincinnati player, Huggins assistant Erik Martin now a head coach
