ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Education Associate Professor Stacy Martin may be new to working with student-athletes but her service to the Winthrop Athletics department has drawn national attention.
Martin was recently named the 2026 NCAA Division I Newcomer of the Year by the Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA). It recognizes a representative within the first three years of service who has demonstrated meaningful engagement, leadership and impact in the FAR role.
She will be recognized formally in November in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the FARA conference. “This recognition is connected to the support and opportunities I have received from President Edward Serna, the Athletics Department, my academic colleagues, and our student-athletes,” said Martin, who is in her third year as Winthrop’s representative. “I am very appreciative of the award, but I also see it as a reflection of the work we are doing collectively at Winthrop.”
Martin, who is an associate professor in the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences, joined the Winthrop faculty in 2015 and has been an active leader in the Middle Level Education Program.
As the faculty athletics representative, Martin serves as an independent faculty voice connecting the university's academic mission with intercollegiate athletics while representing Winthrop in Big South Conference and NCAA affairs. The representative serves as a champion for academic integrity, student-athlete well-being, and responsible athletic operations within the NCAA Division I framework.
Winthrop Athletics Director Chuck Rey said that Martin has made an extraordinary impact serving as a vital bridge between faculty and athletics. “She has helped foster a culture that contributed to the highest cumulative GPA in Winthrop Athletics history and secured a transformative $100,000 NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) grant to further support student-athlete success,” he said, noting that Winthrop added another $20,000 to the grant.
During her three-year tenure, Martin has:
*Worked with the president, athletics leadership, faculty, and student-athletes to
strengthen her role as a connection between academics, athletics, and the overall
student-athlete experience.
*Increased Winthrop’s involvement at the conference and national levels through service
with the Big South Conference FAR group, the Division I FARs in Governance Committee,
and the NCAA Division I Softball Oversight Committee.
*Wrote Winthrop’s successful NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program grant application,
which resulted in a $120,000 award to support student-athlete academic resources and
facilities.
*Arranged for EPIC Global Solutions to provide gambling-harm and sports-wagering education
to more than 500 students, student-athletes, faculty, and staff, an initiative that
also prompted campus discussions regarding policies addressing gambling-related harassment.
Winthrop officials said Stacy Martin’s service exemplifies the intended role of the FAR. “In these three short years she has worked tirelessly on behalf of Winthrop student-athletes, the athletics department, and the university,” said President Edward Serna. “We have been fortunate indeed to benefit from her enthusiasm and desire to learn more about the nuances of intercollegiate athletics and how educators can play a role in positively shaping the future of the organization and student-athletes’ lives.”
For more information, contact Martin at martinsp@winthrop.edu.
