Two ex-Stan State athletes continue trend of returning to school to become coaches
A number of former Stanislaus State athletes are staying on campus — as assistant coaches in various sports.
Most recently, Alexus Martinez and Cassidy Ferrell, were announced as assistant coaches for the softball and women’s tennis teams, respectively.
These hires follow a trend in recent years with Warriors staying as Warriors.
Verek Visaraga, a former men’s tennis star, is now the head of the women’s tennis program. Pole vault coach Tom Brenda was a Stanislaus State vaulter himself in the 1980s. John Powell, a former men’s soccer standout, now serves as an associate head coach.
Other former athletes now on the coaching staff include Megan Powell, who has been the first-assistant in the women’s volleyball program since 2017. Jordan Santa Maria is an assistant in the men’s basketball program. Haley Crook is a student assistant on the women’s soccer team. All-American throwers Krystal Alnas and Channing Wilson continue to work with Warriors on the track and field teams.
Martinez returns to campus after spending the summer in Sweden, where she worked with players of all levels as a player-coach.
“By nature, Alexus is a leader who understands the game at a very deep level and has the ability to translate that to our athletes,” softball head coach Jessica Ventoza said. “She is a very hard worker and is excited to be back on the field as a Warrior.”
Martinez is well-known in the Stan State community as a strong leader who knows how to get work done.
She played and started in all 215 softball games in her four years at the Turlock school. She is the Warriors’ all-time career hits leader with 254, and also was just as solid off the field with a 3.70 grade point average.
This summer, for the Division l Sundsvall Mosquitoes in Sundsvall, Sweden. Not only did she play, but she also coached the Division ll Sundsvall Mosquitoes team.
“I’ve been with (coach Ventoza) the whole time she has coached at Stan State,” Martinez said. “It will be really great to see the program continue to grow and be successful. I am very excited to be a part of that journey.”
Meanwhile, Ferrell played tennis and graduated last May. She was named All-Academic PacWest, CoSIDA Academic All-District and most recently named All-PacWest First Team during her last season.
“It will be such a benefit to have Cassidy on our staff as a coach because recent experience playing in the Pac-West Conference and knowing many of the current players,” Visaraga said. “It is also great to have Cassidy’s playing experience in coaching this year’s team on what works and does not in our conference.”
Ferrell also made the Dean’s List every year, was in the Honors program, inducted into the Pi Kappa Phi Honors Society and the National Society of Leadership and Success. She also was involved in many areas on the Stan State campus.
“I am excited to see the program keep growing, as a team we worked so hard to spread our name and now as a coach I want to be able to spread my knowledge on the court and academically for our team,” said Ferrell.
This story was originally published October 2, 2019 at 8:45 AM.