John Martin joined the Sooner Athletic Conference as its third commissioner since the conference's inception in 1978. Martin brings vast experience as an athletic administrator and connections to the conference to his position.
Martin has spent 15 years in college athletics and 18 years in a university setting during his professional career. He has been the development officer for the University of Oklahoma's Price College of Business the past two years. Martin served as an athletic director within the conference for three years, overseeing the development of St. Gregory's 17 varsity intercollegiate sports as AD.
Prior to becoming athletic director at St. Gregory's, Martin guided the Cavaliers as head men's basketball coach. Martin directed St. Gregory's for eight seasons before taking the AD post. He led St. Gregory's to its finest season in 2013-14 as the Cavaliers (24-10) reached the NAIA Division I Fab Four. Martin spent 20 years coaching basketball on the college and high school level and led John Marshall High School in Oklahoma City to the 2003 Class 5A boys basketball state championship.
Martin's college basketball career took him to Oklahoma City University, Panhandle State and St. Gregory's. Martin contributed to Oklahoma City's 1994 NAIA Division I national championship team and was a team captain for OCU. He began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant with OCU's 1996 national title team.
Originally from Oklahoma City, Martin attended high school at Bishop McGuinness High School. He competed on the baseball, basketball, cross country and track & field teams there. Martin was a member of McGuinness' 1989 state championship team and took all-city honors in basketball and baseball.
Martin earned his bachelor of science degree in history and master of education degree from Oklahoma City.