Check www.michigandaily.com throughout the day today for continued updates on Bill Martin's retirement announcement.

Video

Click above to watch Rich Rodriguez's comments on Bill Martin's retirement.

Documents

Click here to read Martin's letter in its entirety.

More like this

• Retiring Athletic Director Bill Martin's legacy will be in finances, facilities and coaches
• Report: Domino's CEO David Brandon to be introduced as next athletic director
• David Brandon officially introduced as University's next athletic director
• New AD search offers a chance to reshape position, not just pick successor

Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin announced this morning that he will retire from the University on Sept. 4, 2010. He officially informed University President Mary Sue Coleman of his retirement in a letter this morning and announced his intentions at an Athletic Department staff-wide meeting this morning at Cliff Keen Arena.

In his letter to Coleman, Martin said he will stay at the University until the fall of 2010 to see the completion of the $226 million Michigan Stadium renovation and expansion project. The project, which Martin spearheaded, began in December 2007.

“We’ve discussed my retirement for a couple of years, and I agreed to stay on to make sure the stadium project would be finished as planned," Martin wrote.

The Michigan Stadium project is the epitome of what will likely be Martin's lasting legacy -- building renovation and construction. Martin also oversaw the construction of the new $26.1 million football practice facility, the Al Glick Field House, which opened in August 2009. In addition, the regents approved plans in May 2009 for the construction of a $6 million soccer stadium.

Associate Athletic Director Bruce Madej said he was "caught by surprise" that Martin announced his retirement today, but knew that Martin was likely planning to retire after he launched his final project: improving the Michigan basketball facilities. The regents approved construction of a $23 million basketball practice facility in January 2009 and approved schematic designs in September 2009.

"If you read between the lines, after the (Michigan) Stadium renovations, he had one more project that he wanted to do," Madej said. "The basketball facilities that he got off the ground. Once that was set, I knew he had accomplished what he wanted to. To be honest, you know when I thought he would retire? January 2011."

Martin will also be known for his numerous coaching hires, which have included Michigan basketball coach John Beilein, who led the team last season to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years, and Michigan baseball coach Rich Maloney, who has led the Wolverines to three Big Ten titles and the NCAA Regional title in 2007.

“We were all kind of shocked,” Maloney said. “I mean, we knew at some point, this would happen. He didn’t have to have this job. He’s a very successful businessman, and he really took the job because he loves Michigan. And that’s been very apparent to me in working with him over the years — his love is very, very deep.

"I’m very appreciative he gave me a chance to come to Michigan, and this was a place where I dreamt of coming to as a student athlete and didn’t get the opportunity. And to come back a as a coach, I will always be indebted to Bill for that.”

When Martin took the helm in August 2000, the Wolverines were reeling from numerous off-the-field issues, including the investigation of a basketball scandal that involved four players -- Louis Bullock, Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor and Chris Webber -- taking money from former team booster Ed Martin in the 1990s. The Michigan basketball program was placed on probation in 2002, and Bill Martin found himself partly responsible for cleaning up the stain on the Michigan reputation.

"First of all, and some people might not agree, hiring (former Michigan basketball coach) Tommy Amaker (in 2001) was a smart move," Madej said. "He brought continuity and strength of leadership that helped create some of the respectability. And then John Beilein has moved it to the next level.