Martinov Jr. continues to ‘advance’ at LIU

Sharks' Director of Athletics promoted, Kelly named AD

August 23, 2023 John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Dr. William E. Martinov Jr., has been elevated from athletic director to chief of alumni engagement and athletics advancement at Long Island University. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

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Dr. William E. Martinov Jr., oversaw the Long Island University athletics department for the previous four years, helping to guide the Sharks to back-to-back Commissioner’s Cups and their first-ever Northeast Conference Institutional Academic Award.

His reward for elevating the brand of LIU Athletics?

A promotion to chief of alumni engagement and athletics advancement, the school announced Monday.

“We have an exceptional group of athletic coaches, administrators and student-athletes, who are committed to excellence both in the classroom and on the field of play, as well as loyal alumni who are committed to supporting LIU’s continued success as a national teaching and research institution,” Martinov said.

Martinov will lead the university’s alumni office and all athletics external relations and revenue generation, including corporate sponsorships, major gifts and annual contributions, according to the school’s website.

“I’m honored to take on this great opportunity to help advance both our student-athlete experience and the support of our outstanding alumni,” he added.

Former deputy athletic director Ryan Kelly will ascend to Marinov’s previous role of director of athletics.

The Sharks not only won back-to-back Commissioner’s Cups as the top-performing athletic program in the NEC for the first time in LIU history, but also finished now worse than second during Martinov’s tenure as AD.

The classroom performance of LIU athletes also soared as the department won its first-ever NEC Institutional Academic Award in 2020.

The Sharks’ athletes also finished in the top three in grade-point average in the NEC every year under Martinov, who guided LIU programs to 12 conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.

Former deputy athletics director Ryan Kelly is now the director of athletics for the Sharks. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

In the last year, the Sharks won league titles in men’s golf, women’s ice hockey, softball, women’s tennis, men’s volleyball and women’s water polo.

Kelly, who joined the LIU athletic department in 2021, was instrumental in the introduction of a state-of-the-art sports medicine facility, varsity weight room, locker rooms and meeting spaces.

He also worked with the school’s advancement team to lead and organize various fundraising campaigns, including the annual LIU Athletics Golf Outing.

Kelly previously served as director of football operations for the American Athletic Conference from 2018-21.

“I am elated to be the next leader of the athletic department at LIU,” Kelly said. “It is an honor to be able to serve our outstanding coaches, staff and student-athletes. I look forward to continuing the progress we have made during our time together.”

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Though the New York Liberty are fervently pursuing their first-ever WNBA title at Downtown’s Barclays Center these days, the Brooklyn Nets’ season is set to begin in a little over two months.

The Nets revealed their 2023-24 schedule, which will kick off with their season and home opener on Oct. 25 against Cleveland.

The regular-season slate will consist of 82 games, though two of those contests have yet to be revealed due to the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, which will add two as-yet-unscheduled contests in December.

Brooklyn will also take on the Cavaliers in Paris on Jan. 24 and will host Miami here on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush on Martin Luther King Jr., Day.

Mikal Bridges and the Nets will open their 2023-24 schedule at Downtown’s Barclays Center on Oct. 25 vs. Cleveland. AP Photo by Mary Altaffer

Weekends will be filled with Nets action as 17 of Brooklyn’s 40 home contests will be played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, four of which will be afternoon games.

The Nets will have 11 nationally televised games, including three on ESPN, two on TNT and six via NBA TV.

Brooklyn’s longest homestands at Barclays Center will span five games on three separate occasions throughout the regular season.

The Nets’ longest road trip will span six games from March 7 at Detroit to March 17 at San Antonio in Austin, Texas.

Brooklyn will also play 14 back-to-backs on the schedule.

The Nets’ complete 2023-24 schedule can be found at brooklynnets.com/schedule<https://www.nba.com/nets/schedule>.