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Sharks’ New Athletic Director

Last updated on Sep 23, 2019

By Elise Person

Staff Writer

Long Island University welcomes a new athletic director, Dr. William Martinov. At the end of July 2019, President Kimberly Cline announced Martinov as the University’s athletic director after the previous Athletic Director Debby DeJong accepted a position at Stony Brook University. Martinov will serve as the athletic director for both Brooklyn and Post’s campuses as they begin their first year as a combined Division I program.

Martinov is thrilled to have the opportunity to be named the athletic director during this historic time for LIU athletics. “I am so excited and humbled to be working at LIU and be the athletic director. LIU has so many great things going on and to be here in it’s transition is amazing,” he said.

Martinov has already shown to student athletes, coaches, and administrators his commitment and dedication to success for the LIU athletics program. He held meetings with athletes and coaches from both Brooklyn and Post’s campus to make clear what his agenda and expectations are for the athletic programs here at LIU. Martinov has explained vision and hopes for LIU athletics in three parts. “First, we want to graduate student athletes. Next, we want to build the entire person through athletics and third, is to win. If we as one program can focus on those three things than we will win,” he said.

When introducing Martinov as the Shark’s athletic director for the first time, Cline commented on how the new director will positively affect LIU athletics. “Bill’s student-centered career, in developing successful athletic programs and student academic services, will help lead LIU into a new era of championship athletics,” she said.

Martinov is no stranger to a championship mentality. After graduating from Indiana’s DePauw University, Martinov began his career at the University of Notre Dame as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for over 10 years from 1987 to 1998. There, Martinov was a part of the coaching staff of the 1988 National Championship team with Notre Dame Football. He hopes to bring this mindset and intensity of champions to LIU. “Notre Dame is a special place. There was a culture of success there I was lucky enough to experience. And I hope I can bring these experiences with me as my job as a leader here at LIU,” Martinov said.

Martinov’s has over 30 years of experience in both higher education and athletics. He has coached, worked with and overseen players that have become collegiate all-Americans and professional athletes in the NBA, MLB, and NFL. “Any coach wants to see their players go on and do great things. When they do, you feel a little part of their success and are so proud of these players,” he said.

            Before coming to LIU, Martinov was involved in both student affairs and athletics at Mercy College. Prior to Mercy College, Martinov served as the senior associate director of athletics at Stony Brook University. 

            Long Island University is not Martinov’s first job as director of athletics. Prior to accepting the position at Stony Brook, he was the athletic director at SUNY Maritime College for four years.

            Martinov started his first job as an executive in athletics in 1998 at St. John’s University. He started off as director of equipment operations and strength and conditioning and then moved his way up to becoming associate director of alumni relations for the duration of his career at St. Johns. There, he earned his doctoral degree in educational administration. 

            Martinov is no stranger to either one of LIU’s campuses. He came to LIU in 2016 to work first as chief of admissions and enrollment strategy and then as dean of eastern regional campuses and chief of alumni and employer engagement. His experience during this time as part of the campus’ athletic department prepared him for the position of athletic director.

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