Newport Central Catholic head baseball coach Jeff Martin has stepped down after six years at the helm. He made the announcement at the team’s season-ending banquet.
Martin finishes his tenure with a 74-86 overall record. This includes a 58-52 mark in regional play and a 24-7 district record.
Under Martin’s leadership, NewCath reached a high point in 2022. The Thoroughbreds finished with a 19-13 record to go with a 9th Region tournament win.
This past season, the Thoroughbreds went 16-16, finishing 6-1 in 36th District play.
“It’s been an honor and privilege to coach, mentor, and lead this team, program, and school the past six years on the baseball diamond,” Martin said. “As a coach on The Hill, there are many objectives, and winning baseball games is a bonus. With the passionate help of my assistant coaches, we recognized the winning tradition of the blue and gold and strived to cultivate and instill it in this younger generation.”
Beyond coaching, Martin reconnected his players with NewCath’s proud traditions, bringing in former Thoroughbreds to speak about baseball and life.
Included among guests the coach invited was former major leaguer Scott Wiggins. All-time multisport great Frank Jacobs, the area’s first Kentucky Mr. Football in 1986, also spoke. So too did 1949 graduate Tom Bankemper.
“It is important to remember our history and honor those players and coaches who established the legacy, while giving best efforts to make it better and stronger,” Martin said. “Through team masses, alumni games, honoree games, community service initiatives and “Wake Up The Echoes” speakers, we represented NCC with pride and defined what it means to be a Thoroughbred. And by the way, we played pretty good baseball.”
Martin, a 1981 NewCath grad, also coached the school’s boys soccer team from 2015 to 2018. He fashioned a 44-35-6 record with one district title.
Martin secured nearly 120 wins across two sports during his 10 years as a head coach at his alma mater.
When asked for a very last statement on his way out,” Martin simply said, “Go Breds!”
COLLOPY COMMITS TO WITTENBERG
NewCath two-sport standout Louie Collopy has committed to Wittenberg University’s basketball team.
Collopy averaged 13.0 points per game as a senior, ranking second on the Thoroughbreds. He earned honors from the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association. He shared the NKBBCA Division II Mr. Hustle Award.
Collopy was also a versatile football player at NewCath. He finished third in rushing yards, second in receptions and ranked among the top five in multiple defensive categories. He scored 15 total touchdowns, second on the team. On special teams, he converted 53 PATs and a field goal, contributing to his 148 total points in 13 games.
Collopy recently graduated summa cum laude at NewCath.