DAVIS, Calif. -- George and Patricia Martin, the parents of former UC Davis women's basketball standout and Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Pam Martin, have made an endowment in honor of their daughter to help enrich the Aggies' women's basketball program.

"Pam remains the ultimate team player and, as a coach, emphasized that part of the game," George and Patricia Martin said. "She participated in and coached the sport from its primitive beginnings to the complex game we now see in the college ranks and the WNBA. It is our intent that this endowment last in perpetuity in recognition of our daughter and her strong faith in the UC Davis women's basketball coaching staff and philosophy."

The Pam Martin Women's Basketball Enrichment Fund has been established to provide enhanced support for the women's basketball team at the discretion of the head coach in consultation with the Athletic Director. The funds will be used for needs that are above and beyond the normal budget and could support team bonding, away game special experiences, on campus educational events, volunteer coach support, or other additional programs to enrich the experience of the student-athletes. 

"We are so grateful for this amazing gift from the Martin family," Head Coach Jennifer Gross said. "Pam was an incredible point guard and a long-time collegiate coach who completely understands how special the student-athlete experience can be. She is passionate about helping our staff give our Aggie women's basketball players a one-of-kind experience that they will forever cherish. This gift will help us to provide meaningful opportunities, experiences and memories for so many future generations of Aggies."

Pam Martin, whose father was a volunteer distance coach for the UC Davis track and field team from 1979-81 under Head Coach John Pappa and served as a professor in the Pomology Department from 1967-94, was a four-year letter winner for the Aggies from 1975-79, helping the Aggies to 50 wins and a Golden State Conference title as a junior in 1978 under legendary head coach Pam Gill-Fisher.

She led the team in points in each of her final two collegiate seasons, scoring 278 points in 1978 and 363 points in 1979, while entering the 2021-22 season ranked No. 10 on the school's single-season scoring average list after scoring 16.1 ppg as a senior.

"As a UC Davis alumnae and former student-athlete I have a tremendous amount of 'Aggie Pride' and there is a special place in my heart for UC Davis," Pam Martin said. "I'd like to thank my parents for providing the opportunity to help enrich the lives of current and future Aggies with this endowment. It's a perfect way to honor my coaches, who helped build the foundation of this program, and help the current coaching staff continue to raise the bar of excellence with future classes of women's basketball student-athletes.""
 
In 1985, she was inducted in the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the sixth class of honorees, following in the footsteps of her coach, who was inducted a year earlier.

"My mentor, Coach Pam Gill-Fisher, showed me her confidence in my abilities when she asked me to lead our team as a freshman point guard," Pam Martin said. "She opened my eyes to the coaching profession when she took me to the Women's Basketball Association national convention and encouraged me to study the game and opened many other doors to my future.

"Pam encouraged me to talk with men's head coach Bob Hamilton, who freely shared his knowledge, wisdom and his time management tips which saved my academics.  Finally, Sandy Simpson was our student-assistant during my junior and senior year.  He had a wealth of knowledge on passing into post players, overall defensive skills and had an endless amount of enthusiasm, energy, and positive comments for all of us."

Following her playing career, which included a stop with the San Francisco Pioneers in the Women's Professional Basketball League, Pam Martin went on to serve as an assistant coach at the University of San Francisco before spending 14 seasons as the head coach at Humboldt State, winning 169 games from 1987-2001 and leading the Lumberjacks to their first NCAC title in 1993-94 with a 19-9 overall record and an 11-1 mark in conference play. During her tenure, Martin mentored a pair of conference players of the year, two conference freshmen of the year, and a total of 36 all-conference selections.

"Coaches have a tremendous opportunity to impact the lives of their student-athletes and not all those lessons are learned on the court," Pam Martin said. "Team travel, pre-season bonding and team gathering are times when coaches have an opportunity to expose their athletes to other cultures, environments, museums, or historical locations. 

"My hope is that this endowment will help enrich their lives beyond the court, classroom, and the campus environment so that they become strong, confident, independent women who will make their community a better place and continue the tradition of 'Aggie Pride.'"

For more information on how you can help support the Pam Martin Women's Basketball Enrichment Fund or other UC Davis intercollegiate athletic programs, please contact Liz Martin at (530) 574-8623 or emartin@ucdavis.edu.
 

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