Destiny Martin was a cheerleader at WSSU just a few months ago. Now she’ll be leading her own squad in the CIAA.
Martin has been named the head coach of the Elizabeth City State University cheerleading program, known as the D’Lytes, in addition to the role of business manager for the Department of Athletics.
The 23-year-old Chesapeake, VA native will oversee the daily business operations of the athletic department. Martin is currently completing her master’s degree in business administration at Winston-Salem State University after graduating with her bachelor’s degree from the institution in 2022.
“My creative juices are always flowing in terms of how to reinvent material or an image, so being the head coach of a program now truly gives me the space to not only do that, but teach others how to navigate through their creativity as well,” Martin told HBCU Gameday.
A dancer at heart, Martin has spent the last five years perfecting and innovating in the cheerleading field, particularly the stomp-and-shake variety which many CIAA teams are known for. Destiny joined the WSSU Powerhouse of Red & White in the fall of 2018, starting out on the White Team (JV) as a true freshman.
She eventually transitioned to the Red team where she became one of the faces of the program, which consistently went viral online and made multiple television appearances. Martin and her WSSU teammates even starred in the music video “Jump,” where they danced alongside pop/R&B star Ciara in the summer of June 2022.
Destiny Martin became perhaps the first HBCU cheerleader to take advantage of NIL legislation that allowed collegiate athletes to work with businesses using their name, image and likeness when she became an ambassador for Champion Apparel’s “Get It Girl” campaign in 2022.
Now she’ll be taking her talents and business acumen east to Elizabeth City State.
“Being the head coach for ECSU confirms that all my hard work within the stomp-and-shake community is not in vain and I am very grateful to be in a position to pour into others,” Martin said. “I am extremely excited for what’s to come this season!”