Women's Cross Country
Martinez, Brenda
Brenda Martinez
- Title:
- Assistant Coach for Distance and Cross Country
- Email:
- brendam7@usc.edu
Olympian Brenda Martinez enters her first season as the Assistant Coach for Distance and Cross Country following the announcement of her hiring on July 15, 2025.
Martinez brings a wealth of experience as a professional athlete and coach. On the coaching side, Martinez created the Big Bear Track Club back in 2014. Through this group, she developed post-collegiate athletes into world-class runners. Some of the athletes she worked with through this organization included 2016 Olympian and World Champion Boris Berian, World Indoor qualifier Jenna Westaway, USATF Indoor finalist Olicia Williams, and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier Dusty Solis.
Along with her coaching experience, Martinez also competed professionally, representing Team USA on six occasions. She was a part of Team USA for the 2016 Olympic Games and made five IAAF World Championship appearances, including a second-place finish at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in the 800. During her professional career, she put up career-bests of 1:57.91 in the 800 and 4:00.94 in the 1500. She signed her contract with Team New Balance in 2010 and competed with them until 2023. Currently, she sits on the Athlete Advisory Board for New Balance.
Before her professional career, the Rancho Cucamonga native competed for the Highlanders of UC Riverside. During her time with the cross country and track and field programs, she was a three-time All-American while earning All-Big West honors for three-straight seasons. Not only that, but she was also named the 2009 Big West Track Athlete of the Year while finishing in second place at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 1500. She still holds the records for the mile and 3000 in the indoor track and field record books and holds the 800 and 1500 records in the outdoor record book.
Martinez brings a wealth of experience as a professional athlete and coach. On the coaching side, Martinez created the Big Bear Track Club back in 2014. Through this group, she developed post-collegiate athletes into world-class runners. Some of the athletes she worked with through this organization included 2016 Olympian and World Champion Boris Berian, World Indoor qualifier Jenna Westaway, USATF Indoor finalist Olicia Williams, and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier Dusty Solis.
Along with her coaching experience, Martinez also competed professionally, representing Team USA on six occasions. She was a part of Team USA for the 2016 Olympic Games and made five IAAF World Championship appearances, including a second-place finish at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in the 800. During her professional career, she put up career-bests of 1:57.91 in the 800 and 4:00.94 in the 1500. She signed her contract with Team New Balance in 2010 and competed with them until 2023. Currently, she sits on the Athlete Advisory Board for New Balance.
Before her professional career, the Rancho Cucamonga native competed for the Highlanders of UC Riverside. During her time with the cross country and track and field programs, she was a three-time All-American while earning All-Big West honors for three-straight seasons. Not only that, but she was also named the 2009 Big West Track Athlete of the Year while finishing in second place at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 1500. She still holds the records for the mile and 3000 in the indoor track and field record books and holds the 800 and 1500 records in the outdoor record book.
Trojans Live: Lucy Westlake (9/12/22)
Monday, September 12
