OWU's Martin To Be Inducted Into Ohio Soccer Hall Of Fame

Ohio Wesleyan’s 34-year head men’s soccer coach Jay Martin will be inducted into the Ohio Soccer Hall of Fame on September 18th at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Martin will be joined by Chanka (Ken) Baldeosingh, Carl Del Corral, John Gyekenyesi, James McDowell, Al O’Campo (posthumous), Blaz Pesorda, Chris Rolfe and Kalman Toth as the fourth class to be inducted into the Hall.

Martin, who was named the NSCAA national Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1998, is the winningest active coach in NCAA Division III with an .814 winning percentage, collecting 566 wins in 33 seasons. He is also fourth on the all-divisions, all-time wins list.

He helped guide the 1998 Battling Bishops to the NCAA Div. III title to go along with two runner-up finishes and seven semifinal appearances. OWU has won 12 regional titles under Martin’s direction, including nine in the last 15 seasons. The Bishops also hold NCAA records in playoff appearances (31) and playoff victories (51).

Among Martin’s most distinguished feats at OWU lies his streak of consecutive playoff appearances, which reached 18-consecutive seasons (1978-95). Martin has also guided the Bishops to 21 conference titles.

In the midst of the Bishops’ impressive playoff streak, Martin and the OWU men’s soccer team were the most dominant team in the country during the 1980’s regardless of division as they compiled an .815 winning percentage.

Martin became the fastest coach in college history to reach the 500-win plateau after reaching the feat in the 2005 season. He is one of only seven college coaches to eclipse 500 career victories.

In addition to his numerous coaching accolades, Martin also served as the president of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and served a six-year term on the NCAA Div. III selection committee, serving as the committee chair for four of those seasons. Martin has also served as a color analyst for the Columbus Crew of the MLS for the past nine seasons.

According to the Ohio Soccer Hall of Fame website, coaches must meet the following criteria in order to receive consideration: Shall be those who have served the soccer community in a coaching capacity over an extended period of time, exhibiting exceptional coaching and teaching ability, as well as coaching success at the League and State Level, as well as, instructing others involved in coaching. Candidates should also have contributed to the promotion and growth of a positive image for soccer and its programs.