SPATARO HANDS MEN’S WRESTLING REINS TO MARTINEZ

ATHERTON, Calif. – Menlo College Athletic Director Keith Spataro announced that he is relinquishing his role as the Oaks head men’s wrestling coach effective immediately. Spataro has promoted top assistant Joey Martinez to interim head coach, handing the reins of the program he started to his long-time pupil.

Though he will maintain a close relationship with the wrestling program, Spataro will focus his energy on the athletic director position he took over on an interim basis last May. The interim tag was removed from Spataro’s title last fall. Martinez just completed his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Oaks under Spataro, helping build the still-young program into one of the best in the country.

Following a six-year stint as head coach at Skyline College, Spataro made the move to Menlo to start the wrestling program in 2001. The Oaks finished eighth in the country in their inaugural season and have never looked back. In just eight seasons, Menlo has produced six national champions, 40 All-Americans – fifth most in the country during that span, and seven Academic All-Americans. The Oaks have placed in the top 10 in the national team standings six times, including at this month’s NAIA National Championships. Menlo was presented with the Team Sportsmanship Award at the event, which is voted on by coaches and officials. Spataro was twice named NAIA West Region Coach of the Year (2004 & 2006).

Martinez began his relationship with Spataro when he won back-to-back California Community College State Championships under the coach at Skyline. After finishing his Trojans career with a state-record 61-0 mark, Martinez followed Spataro to Menlo where he was a two-time NAIA All-American and Team MVP. Martinez graduated from Menlo in 2003 as a Liberal Studies major with a minor in psychology. In addition to his duties as assistant men’s wrestling coach, Martinez previously held a position as a full-time admissions counselor at Menlo.

A Florida native, Spataro made the long trek west to become a two-time community college All-American at Skyline and a two-time NCAA All-American at San Francisco State. Spataro graduated from San Francisco State (’93) with a degree in physical education before earning a Master’s degree in sports management at St. Mary’s College. After taking over the coaching duties at Skyline, Spataro was twice named Region Coach of the Year while producing 18 All-Americans