Cartee Adds Martinez, Walsh, Watkins to CMS Men's Soccer Coaching Staff

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Christopher Martinez, Alexander Walsh and Patrick Watkins will serve as assistant coaches for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team in 2023, it was announced today by first-year head coach Edward Cartee.

Martinez joins CMS after earning substantial coaching experience in Texas over the last four years at both the high school and club level. He has served as the director of the premier program at Urban Champions Academy in San Antonio for the past year, while simultaneously serving as an assistant coach at Central Catholic High School.

Previously, Martinez served three years as a boys' head coach at the Calvary Youth Soccer Club in College Station, with stints as an assistant coach with Corpus Christi FC and Texas A&M Men's Club Soccer. He graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 with a degree in political science.

"Chris is a high caliber coach," said Cartee. "He is skilled and detailed in his match analysis and as a teacher of the game.  He is a superb role model for our student-athletes with his integrity, character, and work ethic.  I'm delighted that he is joining the CMS coaching staff."

Walsh comes to CMS with several years of coaching experience in the Los Angeles area. He has spent the last year as a youth development coach with the LA Galaxy, and the last half-year as a head coach with One Ivy FC.

Walsh has also simultaneously served as the camp coordinator for Pacific Soccer Academy and a JV coach at the Crossroads School for the Arts, and previously served as a head coach for the Santa Monica Surf Soccer club from 2020-23, and at the Bay School of San Francisco from 2019-20. He graduated from the Academy of Art in San Francisco in 2018 with a degree in communications and digital media.

"Alex's talent identification and player mentorship will enhance our program," said Cartee. "With his addition, I'm extremely excited about the coaching staff we've assembled."

Watkins will stay with the Stags as a graduate assistant while he completes his master's degree at Claremont Graduate University. He started all 12 games for CMS as a midfielder last year after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Division I DePaul University. 

While at DePaul, Watkins made 11 starts as a freshman in 2018 and appeared in 17 games his senior season in 2021, while earning Big East All-Academic Team honors as a chemistry major. He is majoring in information systems and technology at CGU.

"Having played both at the Division I level and for CMS last season, Patrick brings tremendous experience to share with our current players," said Cartee. "He did a great job assisting this spring, and I'm thrilled that he is returning as our graduate assistant for this fall."

Cartee was hired as the new head coach for the Stags in March, after serving as an assistant coach for Division III power Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where he helped the Tigers to a combined record of 189 wins, 29 losses and 16 ties, good for an .842 winning percentage.

Trinity made three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals in 2013, 2014, and 2015 during Cartee's tenure, and earned 20-win seasons for five straight seasons from 2013-17. The 2021 Tigers also lost only one game in the entire season, finishing 16-1-2.