Mike Martin to Leave Brown for Michigan Staff

Coaching Departure Announced

Longtime Brown head coach Mike Martin will join the University of Michigan staff under head coach Mike Boynton after 13 seasons at the East Side school. Martin, a Brown alum, said he departs with deep gratitude for the relationships built with players, staff, alumni, and the broader community. He leaves as the program’s all‑time winningest coach with 171 victories. The move marks a significant shift from the Ivy League to a Power‑Five program.

Career Highlights at Brown

Martin was hired in 2012 at age 29 and quickly established himself as a stabilizing force for the Bears. He earned Ivy League Coach of the Year honors in 2018‑19 after guiding Brown to its first 20‑win season and a College Basketball Invitational victory over Alabama‑Birmingham—the program’s first postseason win ever. During the 2023‑24 campaign, he led the Bears to the Ivy League Championship Game, beating Princeton in the semifinals and closing the regular season with six straight victories.

Legacy and Reactions

“Brown has changed my life,” Martin said in a press release, emphasizing the impact of his tenure. Samuel M. Mencoff, Brown’s vice president for Athletics and Recreation, called the departure “a bittersweet moment,” highlighting Martin’s role as a community leader and the respect he earned across campus. Mencoff praised his work as an ultimate ambassador for the program and the university. The school lauded his leadership while wishing the Martin family success in the next chapter.

Visual Journey Through Martin’s Tenure

Below is a collection of images documenting Mike Martin’s time as Brown’s head coach, from early seasons to championship moments.

Moving to Michigan places Martin in a high‑profile environment where Coach Mike Boynton is rebuilding the program. The hire signals Martin’s ambition to work at a larger scale and his readiness for a new challenge. Analysts view the transition as a sign of the evolving landscape for Ivy League coaches seeking opportunities in the conference transition era.