BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Bloomfield native Ashley Martinez, the top assistant coach for the New Jersey City University softball team during the 2018 campaign, has been appointed as head softball coach at the University, after a national search.
Martinez, 27, who was part of a Hall-of-Fame program as a collegiate student-athlete, will be the 17th head coach in the program’s 39-year history but just the fifth to serve in the role in a full-time capacity.
A 2008 Bloomfield High School graduate, Martinez joined the program as its top assistant in September, 2017, and stood out to the search committee for her efforts in that role. As the program’s assistant, she instructed practices, conducted lessons, corrected mechanics and was involved in game decisions.
Prior to NJCU, she spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the NJ Pride 18U Gold-New Jersey’s oldest club softball program-from 2012-15. The NJ Pride has produced dozens of college players and Martinez worked on fundamentals, oversaw infield, outfield and hitting drills and individual swing breakdowns.
Shawn Tucker, Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics, said, “We’re pleased that Ashley Martinez has agreed to become our next head softball coach. She is enthusiastic and a furious competitor and throughout the interview process it became clear to the selection committee that she was the best candidate for our program. Ashley is eager to get the program moving in the right direction. I’m confident we have a budding star as a coach and someone who possesses all the right intangibles. She has the drive to stabilize our softball program and return it to its past winning ways.”
A 2012 graduate of Dominican College in Orangeburg, N.Y. with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a minor in Communication, she excelled in the classroom as a student-athlete with a 3.3 grade point average. Martinez also has business experience, most recently as a sales analyst for Gallo Wine Sales of New Jersey (2016-18).
“I am looking forward to my first year as the head coach of the New Jersey City University softball program,” said Martinez. “Building a foundation and implementing a positive culture and mentality is imminent within this organization. I am thankful to the search committee and athletic director Shawn Tucker for their faith in my ability to motivate others to work at their highest potential. As head coach, we will set goals, deliver results and maximize success in the classroom, resulting in a better softball experience for our student-athletes through their graduation from the university. Building a foundation will take tremendous dedication and patience. I believe in the power of teamwork and know that with the new administration set in place, we have only just begun chipping away at what is to come. The future for NJCU Softball starts now.”
At Division II Dominican, Martinez was a four-year performer from 2009-12, playing in 205 career games as an outfielder for the Chargers and her leadership resulted in being named a two-year team captain. She was a key member of the 2010 program that won 39 games and was inducted into the Dominican Athletics Hall of Fame in April 2018.
A member of the Dominican 100-hit club (131 career hits), she ranks in the top 10 in school history in doubles (26). Martinez had four NCAA Division II regional appearances during her time at Dominican and helped the program win three consecutive Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) championships in 2010, 2011 and 2012. She was named to the 2011 CACC All-Tournament Team. Dominican won 150 games during her four years on the field playing for Coach Joe Burbridge, including a spectacular 88-14 CACC record. She played in nine NCAA Division II Tournament games.
At Bloomfield HS, she was a three-sport athlete in softball, cross country, and track and field. As a softball senior in 2008, the team MVP was named First-Team All-Essex County, First-Team All-League and Third-Team All-State. She helped the Bengals win the 2005 Essex County cross country championship. As a freshman, she broke the county junior varsity cross country record.
BHS longtime head softball coach Bob Mayer expressed his joy for his former player.
“I am so proud of her,” said Mayer in an interview with The Independent Press.
Mayer recalled coaching Martinez.
“She was a good player, a well-rounded player,” he said. “She was a good hitter and had a lot of speed. She became a better player each year.”
Mayer is confident Martinez will turn out to be a great head coach at NJCU.
“She’ll do a good job there. She’ll do a good job recruiting, because she has a great personality.”
Editor’s note: This article was submitted by the NJCU Sports Information office.
This article was updated to included Bloomfield HS head coach Bob Mayer’s comments.
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