From North Iowa Area Community College, www.niacc.edu

NIACC Athletics News
Martin Resigns as NIACC Head Men's Basketball Coach
Jun 27, 2008

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North Iowa Area Community College head men’s basketball coach Bryan Martin resigned today and will be named the new assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of North Dakota.

“I want to thank Dr. Michael Morrison (retired 2008), Dr. Karen Pierson, Dan Mason, Rachel McGuire and former NIACC athletic director Ryan McGuire for giving me such a tremendous first-time head coaching opportunity.  It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve as the head coach at NIACC.  I also want to thank all of my players and especially my assistant coaches, Jeremy Ainley, Zach Silverman, Mark Mohl and Bob Horner, for all of their loyalty and hard work.  My players and assistant coaches deserve all the credit for any of the success we were able to achieve during my time here,” Martin said.  “The three years I’ve spent at NIACC have been a great experience for myself and my family.  It’s extremely difficult to leave, but I am excited about the opportunity to be a Division I assistant coach.  I just couldn’t pass up the chance to work for Coach Jones and the University of North Dakota.  I firmly believe the returning players along with the incoming recruits place the NIACC program in great shape for the next head coach.”

Coach Martin posted a 50-45 record as head coach for the North Iowa Area Community College men’s basketball team the past three seasons.  Martin came to NIACC after serving as assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College and made an immediate impact, winning 15 games after the Trojans had finished 5-25 the previous season. In 2005-06, NIACC was 23-9, the most wins in men’s basketball since the 1994-95 season when the Trojans captured the NJCAA Division II national title. Last season, NIACC finished 12-19 overall.

“Coach Martin is considered one of the bright young coaches in the Midwest. He did a tremendous job for us and he will be missed,” said Dan Mason, NIACC athletic director.

The University of North Dakota has competed in men’s basketball at the NCAA Division II level, but will move up to Division I status for 2008-09. The Fighting Sioux finished 15-15 under head coach Brian Jones, making the North Central Conference playoff finals before losing to the University of Nebraska-Omaha.  Jones, who served as an assistant coach for former University of Iowa head coach Steve Alford, was a significant factor in Martin’s decision to accept his new position.

Mason said that a national search for NIACC’s next head men’s basketball coach will begin immediately.  The NIACC men’s basketball program has a great tradition of success dating back to the first part of the 20th century.  That success was never more evident than in 1995, when the Trojans brought home the NJCAA Division II National Championship.

“We’re confident that, given our record and reputation, we’ll attract a quality pool of candidates for the head men’s basketball coaching position,” Mason said.

The NIACC Boy’s Basketball Camp scheduled for July 7-10 will still be held as scheduled.

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