His rise through the GCU Club Soccer ranks was swift, which showed how efficient Alex Martins has been with his time, his talent and his growth within the program. That’s why Martins moved from a starter on the field for three years to helping ex-head men’s coach Damian Tule’ over the spring and summer of 2025, then moving over to become the head coach of the Lopes’ Women’s Club Soccer program later that summer.
Last summer, Martins helped out both Tule’ and former head women’s club coach Vanessa Leyva with their programs, so it was a more natural transition for Martins when Leyva announced her departure. Martins now begins his 2nd year as a club sports head coach (with the program’s first-ever national tournament appearance under his belt), his fourth year with the program and 15th year in club soccer as a whole. A native of Portland, Oregon, Martins spent his teen years not only starring on the pitch at Ida B. Wells Barnett High School but also spending four years playing for Oregon Premier FC in Portland.
Once he graduated from high school, Martins took his talents to the community college level as a two-year starter and captain for Portland Community College. Martins started all 27 matches he played in for the Panthers at center back, which made him a valuable commodity when he transferred to GCU in the summer of 2023 and slid right into the rotation at center back for two years for the Lopes, helping lead the program to its first-ever national tournament appearance in the fall of 2024. Martins earned USCCS All-American honors and even a promotion to work with the Lopes’ NCAA Men’s Soccer squad as a result.
Along the way, Martins has fortified his resume’ with stints as a camp director and operations assistant at UK International Soccer in Portland for two summers, and as a volunteer assistant at Phoenix Rush Soccer Club in 2024. He’s also starting his second year as a coach for the Stars program at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Laveen.
Martins turned the tassel in April 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from GCU. Martins earned his USSF D license in June after earning a USSF Grassroots license in 2023.
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