Softball
- Title:
- Softball Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- cmartinez@huntsman.utah.edu
In her first year tutoring the program’s batters, the Utes produced a pair of .400 hitters, the first time the program accomplished that since 2017 and just second time on record in school history. The Utes also had six hitters land on the all-conference roster, including two first-team picks, both of whom were also all-region selections, and two all-freshman team honorees.
One of those all-conference players was Kaylah Nelsen, who Martinez worked with throughout the 2024 season. Nelsen improved her batting average from .233 in 2023 to .370 a year ago. She also finished second in the Pac-12 in doubles, led Utah in RBIs, posted the squad’s third-highest hit total and was one of the toughest players in the nation to strike out. Nelsen continued to excel in the postseason, landing on the All-Pac-12 Tournament Team.
Martinez was hired on to coach Amy Hogue's staff after spending six seasons at Iowa State, where her list of responsibilities included working with ISU's hitters and infielders. Under her tutolage, the Cyclones topped 40 homers in five of her six seasons, including 2021, when they blasted 64 round-trippers in 57 games. That squad also racked up 34 victories and made the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988.
One of Martinez's pupils at ISU was 2021 NFCA First-Team All-American Sami Williams, who spent that season smashing the school's single-season records for batting average (.446) and home runs (21), while also driving in 54 runs to go with a .902 slugging percentage. Williams ended her career as the program's all-time leader in hits, doubles, homers, RBIs, runs scored at-bats and games played. She's also the Big 12's all-time leader in hits, doubles and total bases and ranks third in NCAA history in doubles and fourth in total bases.
In 2019, the California native 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. 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 was hired by the Cyclones from UNLV, where she had served as the associate head coach, a position she was elevated to after one season with the Rebels. During her time at UNLV, she specialized in mentoring the Rebel infield and instructing the team's hitters, as well as handling 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 Pitcher of the Year award, 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 spent four years (2006-09) as an infielder 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 Martinez 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 (.584) and concluded her career ranked in the top 10 in triples, sacrifice flies, sacrifice bunts and fielding assists. She also spent time playing 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.
