After 19 seasons at the helm of the Warhawk women’s basketball program, ULM head coach Mona Martin announced her retirement today.

Martin’s 19 seasons as a head coach at ULM are the most in program history and she finishes her coaching career at ULM with 263 wins, including 168 conference wins (113 Southland; 55 Sun Belt).

“I have very much enjoyed my time with the University of Louisiana at Monroe,” said Martin. “I have made a lot of friends here and I have enjoyed working for a great group of individuals. It has been my pleasure to coach many fine and upstanding student-athletes and I have also had the fortune to have many fantastic assistant coaches work for me. I will always look back on my time at ULM with pride and esteem.”

During her tenure as head coach, a total of 19 players earned All-Conference honors, including Ashleigh Simmons who earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors this season.

“I want to thank Mona for all of her years of service,” said Director of Athletics, Brian Wickstrom. “Mona built ULM women’s basketball and the program is positioned to take the next steps toward competing for Sun Belt Conference Championships.”

Martin was named the Southland Conference’s Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2005 and led the Warhawks’ transition into its new conference (Sun Belt) in the 2006-07 season. During her time in Monroe, Martin posted 14 seasons of double-digit wins and she went over the 20-win mark twice (20, 2000-01; 22, 2004-05).

Martin began her coaching career in the high school ranks at Natchitoches High School (Natchitoches, La.; 1976-87) before joining Northwestern State as an Associate Head Coach from 1987-89. Martin followed her stint with the Demons with her second high school coaching position at West Monroe High School from 1989-95, before taking over at ULM.