Denison University

Robert Martin was a two-time All-American and four-year letter winner for the Denison men’s lacrosse team between 1966 and 1969. One of the top goalies in history of the program, Martin remains the Denison record-holder in career saves percentage (.757) and single-season saves percentage.

As a sophomore in 1967 he stopped a record 80 percent of shots faced, and in 1968 he posted the next-best season by a DU goalie, stopping 77 percent of shots faced. He was named to the All-America third-team in 1969 while earning honorable mention All-American in 1968. Following the 1969 season, he was named as a North-South Senior All-Star and earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award. He also was featured in the May 5, 1969, issue of Sports Illustrated. The article by Peter Carry titled “Big Sticks of the Midwest” talked about the rise in popularity of college lacrosse in the Midwest. Portrayed somewhat as a renaissance man, Martin was specifically highlighted in the article for his upbringing on an Ohio farm, for his love of writing poetry, and his uncanny ability to “eat the ball,” which is another way of saying that he made great saves by using his body.

While at Denison, Martin was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He earned his bachelor of arts in 1969 and went on to receive a master of science in natural resources from Ohio State University and another master’s degree from the Conway School of Landscape Design in Massachusetts. Martin continued to play competitive lacrosse into the 1980s, earning Most Valuable Player accolades from the Cleveland Lacrosse Club, the Columbus Lacrosse Club and the Lexington (Ky.) Lacrosse Club. Bob is currently employed as a financial advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC.