MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — A West Virginia women’s basketball player who was suspended for a violation of team rules on Aug. 3 is charged with domestic battery.
Tynice Martin, 22, of Morgantown, is charged with domestic battery by the Morgantown Police Department.
Court records list Jason Wingfield of the firm Gianola, Barnum, Bechtel & Jecklin as Martin’s attorney in the domestic battery case.
When contacted by The Dominion Post, attorney Rocky Gianola said, “Our position is very clear. We’re aware of the allegations. There’s always two sides to every story, but we take allegations of domestic violence very serious and our investigation is still ongoing. And until we complete our thorough investigation we’ll have no comment.”
Court records also show Martin received a citation for possession of a controlled substance on December 29, 2018, which was 11 games into the Mountaineers’ season.
Martin, the Mountaineers’ top scorer, was not suspended, but was held out of that day’s game against Niagara as a “precautionary measure,” according to the school’s postgame notes.
Martin then played and started in the final 22 games to end last season.
In a statement to The Dominion Post, WVU head coach Mike Carey said, “We are aware of the situation and it will be handled appropriately according to West Virginia University’s policies and procedures surrounding student conduct.”
Martin pleaded no contest to the possession citation on February 15 and paid a $215.25 fine on Aug. 5.
As for the domestic battery charge, police responded to Twigg Street in Morgantown’s 1st Ward neighborhood for a reported domestic dispute on July 15, according to a criminal complaint.
The investigation showed Martin arrived at her ex-girlfriend’s house, entered the residence, and pulled the victim’s hair, according to the complaint.
The Dominion Post does not typically identify victims of alleged domestic crimes.
Martin and another woman, identified as Alexandria, then allegedly pushed the victim against a storm door, where she was choked, beaten and shoved.
According to court records, a warrant was issued on July 24 and Martin was arraigned in Monongalia County Magistrate Court on Aug. 2 before Magistrate Jim Nabors.
Bond was set at $1,500 personal recognizance.
The case has been assigned to Magistrate Tim Pocius. No court date has been set.
Martin is headed into her senior season and is on pace to become the school’s all-time leading scorer.
She was the Big 12’s Freshman of the Year in 2016 and was named the Big 12 tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 2017 after leading the Mountaineers to the tournament championship.
— The Dominion Post reporter William Dean contributed to this report.
