A third-year Rhode Island native, Nick Martin has made an impact on both the University of Rhode Island cross country and track and field teams, most recently playing a vital role in bringing the New England Championship title back to URI.

Growing up in East Greenwich, Martin did not think he’d end up at URI, where both of his parents attended. However, with the influence of URI Assistant Coach Brian Doyle, Martin was convinced.

“I was good enough to compete in college, but I was trying to look at smaller schools,” Martin said. “Doyle was just coming in [to the URI program], and as soon as I talked to him, I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to be here.’ I had to be here because I don’t think I could have been on a team with such a good coach anywhere else. I would put him on the level with some of the top coaches in the country.”

It didn’t take long for Martin to begin making a mark at the collegiate level, as he finished in the top three among Rhody runners as a first-year in the 2023 New England Championship. Martin finished sixth with a time of 25:39.0, as the Rams secured the title for the first time since 1952.

Although the Rams placed third in 2024’s New England Championship, Martin once again finished top 10 in the race. Additionally, in his second year, Martin helped carry on the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship dynasty that the track and field program has solidified, as he finished second in the 3,000-meter run indoors.

“Nick is just an extremely important piece of the history of our program,” URI Head Coach Trent Baltzell said. “He’s a homegrown kid, so, for us, we need Rhode Islanders to succeed here in order to kind of win over the local coaches. So for Nick, he’s had a type of career so far that you kind of draw out on paper and then hope that people can follow through.”

On Oct. 10, Martin and third-year Garrett Hartline, who also finished top 10 in the previous two New England Championships, led the way to give Rhody their second title in three years. Martin finished third with a time of 24:06.33, followed closely by Hartline’s time of 24:07.62 for fifth place.

“Me and all the other kids in my class, like Garrett, and our guys with other events on the track, [have made] so much progress,” Martin said. “Seeing the things I’ve been dreaming about for all of high school become a reality is really cool.”

Following the Rhody victory, where they led the second-place team by 46 points, Martin was named A-10 Performer of the Week.

“We’re in the Atlantic 10 Conference, which is a distance-focused conference, I would say, so we can really make our mark on the track pretty easily by investing in speed,” Baltzell said. “For the last few years, since coach Doyle has been around, we’ve been investing lightly, but with an eye on the future. If we can finish on the podium [in the A-10 Championship], then mission accomplished.”

Ahead of the A-10 Championship, where the Rams finished ninth last season, expectations are high for the young team.

“I would say it’s the most important cross country meet of my career so far because this year’s really our time to show everyone what we’re made of,” Martin said. “It goes back to not even just all summer but, for me, the past two and a half years of training, which has all built up that base that I’m running on right now.”

The Rams will head to Cedarville, Ohio, to compete in the A-10 Championship on Nov. 1.

The post Martin continues to make mark with men’s cross country first appeared on The Good 5¢ Cigar.