Kansas State University Athletics
Men's Basketball
Martin, Frank
Frank Martin
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Just like it had done twice before when it elevated assistants Tex Winter (1953) and Cotton Fitzsimmons (1968) to the head coaching spot, K-State tapped Bob Huggins’ top assistant Frank Martin as his replacement in 2007.
The fiery Martin, a native of Miami, Florida, took the baton from Huggins and led the school to one of its greatest stretches in its long and storied history. He helped the Wildcats to a 117-54 (.684) overall record, including a 50-32 (.610) mark in Big 12 play, and the team advanced to the postseason each of his five seasons, including four trips to the NCAA Tournament (2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012). He is the first head coach in school history to post five consecutive 20-win seasons and the first to guide the Wildcats to the postseason in each of his first five years. His 117 wins rank fifth in school history.
Hired as the 23rd head coach on April 6, 2007, Martin posted one of the most successful inaugural campaigns in school history. He guided the Wildcats to a 21-12 record in 2007-08, including a third-place finish in the Big 12, and broke a 12-year drought in the NCAA Tournament. He became just the second rookie head coach in school history to lead his team to the NCAA Tournament and the first since Lon Kruger in 1986-87. Under his tutelage, Michael Beasley posted one of the greatest seasons ever by a college freshman, averaging 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds en route to earning consensus National Freshman of the Year honors and National Player of the Year honors from a number of outlets. Beasley became the first consensus first team All-American since 1959.
After an NIT finish in year two, Martin helped K-State to its first Elite Eight appearance in 22 seasons in 2009-10. Led by All-Americans Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, the Wildcats won a school-record 29 games and finished in a tie for second in the Big 12. In all, the team set 23 team and individual school records, including the scoring mark (2,949). For his effort, Martin was the Big 12 Coach of the Year and a runner-up for the AP’s National Coach of the Year.
Martin left K-State in March 2012 for the head coaching job at South Carolina, where he won 171 games and advanced to the 2017 Final Four in 10 seasons. He was hired as the head coach at Massachusetts [UMass] on March 22, 2022.
The fiery Martin, a native of Miami, Florida, took the baton from Huggins and led the school to one of its greatest stretches in its long and storied history. He helped the Wildcats to a 117-54 (.684) overall record, including a 50-32 (.610) mark in Big 12 play, and the team advanced to the postseason each of his five seasons, including four trips to the NCAA Tournament (2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012). He is the first head coach in school history to post five consecutive 20-win seasons and the first to guide the Wildcats to the postseason in each of his first five years. His 117 wins rank fifth in school history.
Hired as the 23rd head coach on April 6, 2007, Martin posted one of the most successful inaugural campaigns in school history. He guided the Wildcats to a 21-12 record in 2007-08, including a third-place finish in the Big 12, and broke a 12-year drought in the NCAA Tournament. He became just the second rookie head coach in school history to lead his team to the NCAA Tournament and the first since Lon Kruger in 1986-87. Under his tutelage, Michael Beasley posted one of the greatest seasons ever by a college freshman, averaging 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds en route to earning consensus National Freshman of the Year honors and National Player of the Year honors from a number of outlets. Beasley became the first consensus first team All-American since 1959.
After an NIT finish in year two, Martin helped K-State to its first Elite Eight appearance in 22 seasons in 2009-10. Led by All-Americans Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, the Wildcats won a school-record 29 games and finished in a tie for second in the Big 12. In all, the team set 23 team and individual school records, including the scoring mark (2,949). For his effort, Martin was the Big 12 Coach of the Year and a runner-up for the AP’s National Coach of the Year.
Martin left K-State in March 2012 for the head coaching job at South Carolina, where he won 171 games and advanced to the 2017 Final Four in 10 seasons. He was hired as the head coach at Massachusetts [UMass] on March 22, 2022.
K-State MBB | Hang With Tang On The Go (Season 4, Episode 1)
Friday, September 05
K-State MBB | Coach Driscoll Mic'd Up
Friday, August 08
K-State MBB | Vet Week 2025
Monday, August 04
K-State MBB | Weight Room Renovations
Thursday, July 24
