Former Student-Athlete Cori Martone Returns to Tulane as Assistant Beach Volleyball Coach

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane beach volleyball head coach Wayne Holly has announced the hiring of former student-athlete Cori Martone as the team's assistant coach.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Cori back into our program. Her experience as a former student-athlete brings to our program a coach with a deep understanding of the daily challenges and opportunities that our players face," Holly said. "It's that perspective that will make Cori an effective teacher and empathetic leader. As a player during the program's formative years, she has helped build our foundation. I love Cori's passion for volleyball and her intense desire to positively impact the lives of others. We're fortunate to have her back."

Martone will forever be linked with the history of the beach volleyball program, as she competed during the team's inaugural season in 2011-12 and secured a point at the No. 1 Flight when Tulane earned its first victory in program history on March 14, 2012. With Martone as a leading player in the team's second varsity season, the Green Wave earned their first victory over a nationally-ranked team and received their first-ever national ranking, with a No. 9 spot in the AVCA poll.

Martone was also a four-year letterwinner on the indoor volleyball team during her time at Tulane, earning All-Conference USA First Team Honors, AVCA All-Region and All-American Honors while also being named to the All-Louisiana First Team during her senior season in 2013. The middle hitter played a large role in Tulane volleyball's success that year, with the team finishing 28-4 overall and 12-2 in Conference USA with a second-place finish.

Martone hopes to continue that winning behavior in her first season back with the beach team, looking forward to helping the players develop both on and off the sand.

"This is a dream come true. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to give back to a program that gave me so much," she said. "We have a great group of girls and I am looking forward to not only being their coach but their biggest cheerleader as well."

Martone ranks ninth in the all-time indoor volleyball record book in kills with 1375 and kills per set with 3.27. The local Baton Rouge, Louisiana native also ranks ninth in career attack attempts (3449), tenth in service attempts (1479) and 11^th in points (1610.0). Martone described her first moment stepping back on campus as surreal, as she is eager to be back close to home and to Tulane.

"During commencement in 2015, they played the song 'Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans,'" she said. "Well, the last three years have been a lesson on the true meaning of missing New Orleans and words cannot describe how glad I am to be back. The campus is booming, the staff and students are future world leaders and the energy surrounding Tulane Athletics is jolting. I am stepping into this role extremely grateful and ready to contribute to the success of the university."

Unable to play beach volleyball during her senior season because of a medical disqualification, Martone was offered the opportunity to coach alongside Holly in an undergraduate assistant role. Her experience playing for and working alongside him makes her excited to do so again at a higher level.

"I had the wonderful opportunity to play and coach for Wayne toward the end of my career at Tulane and in that short time my skill-level and knowledge of the game grew immensely," Martone said. "Coach Holly is a lifelong student of the game, someone who is constantly bringing new ideas to the sport and I consider myself very lucky to learn from someone I admire greatly. I am excited for this partnership and optimistic about this upcoming year."

Tulane University Athletics

Former Student-Athlete Cori Martone Returns to Tulane as Assistant Beach Volleyball Coach

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