Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

UD women's basketball coach retires

The University of Delaware needs to find a new head coach for its women’s basketball program.

UD announced Friday women’s hoop coach Tina Martin is retiring after 21 seasons guiding the Blue Hens.

"After a great deal of thought, I've decided the time is right for me to retire as head coach at the University of Delaware and move on to the next chapter of my life. Delaware basketball has been my passion for over 20 years and I am going to miss it. I've been fortunate to work with very driven and loyal assistant coaches, talented student-athletes, great teams, and supportive fans," said Martin in a statement. ."My staff and I have established an outstanding winning tradition and I will always be proud of my legacy at the University of Delaware.”

Martin is the school’s winningest basketball coach – men or women – compiling 408 victories against just 238 losses.  Her teams won 20 or more games 12 times in the past 18 seasons and went to four NCAA tournaments.

The most memorable years of her tenure came in 2012 and 2013 with WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist Elena Delle Donne taking the Blue Hens to back-to-back NCAA tourneys and a 2013 appearance in the Sweet Sixteen.

But the Hens have not fared as well the past 3 years, unable to top the 16 win mark and failing to advance out of CAA tournament quarterfinals for the first time ever this year.

The school says its immediately beginning a national search for Martin’s successor. Martin's top assistant, Jeanine Radice, will serve as interim head coach.  Radice has been on Martin's staff for her entire UD tenure.  The News Journal reports Radice is not expected to be a candidate for the job.

Martin’s departure is part of a major coaching change over at UD since Chrissi Rawak took over as Athletic Director last May.  In her first year, Rawak has fired UD’s football and volleyball coaches, hired its new men’s basketball coach, seen the Hens first and only women’s soccer coach resign and also needs to replace long-time men’s lacrosse Bob Schillinglaw when he retires at the end of the current season.

Tom Byrne has been a fixture covering news in Delaware for three decades. He joined Delaware Public Media in 2010 as our first news director and has guided the news team ever since. When he's not covering the news, he can be found reading history or pursuing his love of all things athletic.
Related Content