Kyle Martin has been tabbed to lead the Purchase College men’s basketball program, announced Athletic Director Chris Bisignano.
“I am excited about the opportunity to lead this program,” said Martin. “I would like to thank the committee for selecting me, and I look forward to continuing the winning tradition here at Purchase.
“I also want to thank Morrisville State Head Coach Joseph Smith and Hamilton Head Coach Adam Stockwell, who have been huge influences for me, as well as all of the former players I have coached in my time at Morrisiville and Hamilton.”
Martin pledged to “bring in high quality student athletes.” He discussed the “exciting, up-tempo brand of basketball” he plans to institute, and the “championship caliber program” he intends to run, “on and off the court.”
The team’s new leading man coming to Purchase via Morrisville State. Martin was previously the first assistant coach for the Mustangs, guiding the heralded program to three outstanding winter campaigns, most notably two North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Tournament Championships and one regular season title. Martin also assisted in guiding Morrisville to two-straight NCAA Division III Championship Tournament Sectional Round (Sweet 16) appearances, reaching the Elite 8 in 2013-14.
At Morrisville, he coached six to all-conference distinction, two players to all-region honors and four to 1,000-point scorer status. The team went 23-6 in 2012-13 and finished ranked 20th in D3Hoops.com rankings. The following season, 2013-14, Morrisville finished with a 22-9 record and the highest D3Hoops ranking in program history – 16th – after advancing to the Elite 8.
Before joining Morrisville State, Martin was responsible for day-to-day operations within the basketball program at Hamilton, including practice/game management and recruiting. The Hamilton Continentals appeared in the NESCAC quarterfinals in his one season as an assistant there.
Martin’s coaching resume also includes stints with Upstate AAU Basketball in Syracuse and a host of camps and clinics throughout the Northeast, including Hoop Group Skills Camp, Hoop Mountain, and Villanova Basketball Camp.
The Tully, NY native earned his undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Albany. While at Albany, he was a member of the lacrosse team that won two America East Conference Championships and appeared in two NCAA Division I Tournaments.
Prior to his college career, he had previously played high school basketball and lacrosse at Tully High School. The three time letter winner and two-time all-league selection in basketball at Tully led the team to an Onondaga League Championship, earning Most Valuable Player honors and Zebra Classic All-Star Tournament recognition.
He would later earn his Master’s in organizational leadership from Mercy College. In addition, he currently holds a New York State Basketball Coaching Certification from SUNY Cortland.
“We are very excited to have Kyle on board,” Bisignano said of Martin’s appointment. “He comes to Purchase from a program that has had a lot of success and we are hoping that he could help us continue with our success, both on and off the court.”
