An Oktibbeha County jury cleared former Mississippi State head men’s golf coach Greg Martin of claims of mistreatment of a former student athlete Wednesday Feb. 1.
The jury found that Martin’s conduct regarding the athlete did not constitute a breach of contract, and it awarded Martin to be paid $10,000 in back-pay because of the difference between his present earnings and his job as State’s golf coach.
Martin was fired from his job in 2003 after a former player alleged Martin assaulted him. A press release from Waide & Associates, P.A., states that Mississippi State athletic director Larry Templeton testified that Martin was a good person and an outstanding coach.
The release said Martin testified that an altercation with the former student athlete occurred when the player refused to return MSU equipment after Martin had kicked the player off the team for a lack of effort and for missing practice.
Martin is the most successful golf coach in MSU history, winning two Southeastern Conference Championships and grabbing two SEC Coach of the Year honors.
Martin had seven all-SEC golfers, three all-Americans and two SEC Players of the Year in his seven-year tenure at State.
He graduated from the University of North Texas in 1989, and in 1994 became State’s head coach. He then left the program in 1998 to be head coach at Rice and returned in 2000.