June 17, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - -
University of Memphis alum Tony Martin was named the Director of Women's Basketball Operations by head coach Melissa McFerrin, Monday.
"Tony Martin comes to us with an incredible amount of high-level operations experience that we're really excited about," McFerrin said. "It was important to us to have a Memphis presence in our program, we have said that from day one and that will continue to be a trend in our program."
Martin is no stranger to the Memphis area, having graduated from the university in 2003 and spending the last seven seasons working with the Memphis Redbirds organization, including the last four as the team's Manager of Baseball Operations. He started at the Redbirds in 2002 as a group sales intern. He then worked with the team in 2003 as an operations intern, assisting in all player operations, including travel, transactions, equipment and working with the team's parent club, the St. Louis Cardinals. Later in 2003, he was hired as the Redbirds' Operations Coordinator, overseeing the recruiting, hiring and training of 18 interns and assisting in the planning and implementation of all AutoZone Park rentals and special events.
He was promoted to the Redbirds' Manager of Baseball Operations in December of 2004, a position he held until rejoining the Tigers. As the Manager of Baseball Operations, he coordinated team travel, served as an umpire liaison, oversaw the operation of an $80 million facility and oversaw a staff that included eight full time staff members, 18 interns and 250 game day employees. He also coordinated such major events as the Inaugural National Civil Rights baseball game, four Major League Baseball exhibition games and numerous Tiger baseball games that were played at AutoZone Park.
This will be Martin's second stint with the Athletic Department, who also worked as an intern in group sales for the Tiger football team in 2001 and assisted with other marketing duties for football, men's and women's basketball, volleyball and soccer.
Martin graduated from the University of Memphis in May of 2003 with a degree in Sports Management. He is a native of Camden, Tenn and a graduate of Camden Central High School. He and his wife, Annie, have one daughter, Macee, and reside in Southaven.
