Hailey Martin Makes History As Limestone's First Female Vice President For Intercollegiate Athletics

Limestone University has appointed Hailey P. Martin as its new Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, making her the first female in the institution’s history to serve in that position.

Martin is now responsible for the development, management, coordination and supervision of Limestone’s intercollegiate athletics program with 25 programs and more than 800 student-athletes. She is providing leadership, strategic planning, and policy development for the athletics department, while also maintaining an athletics program that is committed to the University’s mission and strategic priorities. Martin reports directly to the Limestone President and serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet.

“Hailey Martin is an exceptional and inspiring leader, so we didn’t have to look very far to find someone with the vision, experience, and determination to be highly successful in this role,” said Limestone’s Interim President Dr. Monica Baloga. “She is certainly a rising star in athletics administration and we’re so fortunate to be able to elevate her to this new position. She is passionate about our Saints and our University, and we know she will help continue to produce Limestone student-athletes who are committed to excellence in their sports and in the classroom.”

She previously served as Limestone’s Assistant Athletic Director for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement/Senior Woman Administrator. Prior to holding those positions, Martin served for 12 years as the Spirit Director and Head Cheer Coach. She was named Limestone’s Senior Woman Administrator in 2018 and also assumed the Assistant Athletic Director title two years later.

Martin replaced Michael H. Cerino as Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics after he recently transitioned into Limestone’s newly created fundraising position of Executive Director for Major Gifts.

“To be in a position to serve and support Limestone student-athletes, our campus, and our community is extremely exciting and I am so grateful to have this opportunity,” said Martin, who becomes the University’s sixth individual to lead the athletics department. “It is truly an honor to serve as the first female in this role and I hope to be a role model for other women who want to be part of much an incredible profession. Limestone’s athletics department is strong and vibrant and my goal is to build upon that. I appreciate the mentorship that I received for many years from Mike Cerino and the help of so many others throughout this journey.”

Martin took a lead role in developing Limestone's Gender Equity Plan and has served as the co-chair on the Limestone Athletics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce. In her previous Assistant Athletic Director role, she worked closely with the athletic leadership team and Limestone’s Office of Equity and Inclusion to advocate for diversity, inclusion, and intercultural understanding in order to create a welcoming campus for all students, faculty, and staff. 

Martin is also active on the conference and NCAA levels. In 2020, she was chosen to serve on the NCAA Division II Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Grant Selection Committee and will serve in this capacity through 2023. She is also a member of the Women’s Tennis Southeast Regional Advisory Committee. Within the South Atlantic Conference, Martin serves as the Senior Woman Administrator liaison to both the Men’s Lacrosse and the Field Hockey coaches’ committee and serves as a member of the SAC Constitution and Bylaws committee as well as the SAC Athletics Council.

She is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), Women Leaders in College Sports, USA Cheer, and received her Collegiate Coaching Credentialing from the National Cheerleaders Association. In 2020, Martin was named as one of the “Top 40 under 40 in Cherokee County” by the Classic Society and received the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Bill Bradley Memorial True Champion Award in 2017.

Martin, who served on the Limestone Feasibility Committee for Football in 2012, helped develop the athletics department's recruitment plan as the Senior Woman Administrator. She also represented Limestone as the Senior Woman Administrator with both the South Atlantic Conference and the NCAA.  

The Senior Woman Administrator is the highest-ranking female in each NCAA athletics department or conference office.

“During her time at Limestone, Hailey has earned the respect and admiration of our coaches, student-athletes, athletics staff, and colleagues in the South Atlantic Conference and across the NCAA,” said David Riggins, Chair of Limestone’s Board of Trustees. “She has the creativity and persistence to continue to make Limestone’s athletics department one of the best in the country.”

Martin, a Limestone alumnae from the Class of 2008 and a former three-year captain of the Limestone cheer team, started the Saints’ competitive cheer program in 2012 to help create more opportunities for female student-athletes. The program has developed into one of the most respected nationally, qualifying for the NCA Collegiate Cheer National Championships for several years. Holding a Bachelor of Art in English Education from Limestone with a minor in Psychology, she taught at Gaffney High School for three years before joining the Limestone staff full-time.