Eastern Washington University Athletics

Martin spent 18 seasons as Eastern's head track and field coach during stints from 1972-86 and 1993-95. He also spent 13 years from 1976-85 and 1992-94 as the school's cross country coach, and from 1975-78 he was Eastern's athletic director. His crowning glory came in 1982 when Eastern won the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship with a team that featured three All-Americans. His best track finishes came in 1980 with a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Division II Championship and sixth in the NAIA Championships. Eastern was also fourth nationally in NAIA in 1978, sixth in 1976, and placed in the top 10 a total of seven times at the NAIA or NCAA Championships under Martin. The team's performance in 1978 helped lift Eastern to a second-place finish in the NAIA All-Sports Trophy, the school's highest placing ever. Eastern also finished fifth in the NAIA Cross Country Championships in 1978, and won District 1 cross country titles in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1979. In track his teams won District 1 titles six-straight years from 1975-80. Martin was District 1 Coach of the Year in cross country twice (1977, 78), six times in track (1973, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78) and in 1974 was the NAIA Pacific Coast Coach of the Year in track. His track athletes won 12 NAIA titles, including six by triple jump/high jump standout Vic White and four by distance runner Bob Maplestone. In addition, in NCAA Division II Brad Boland won the 1980 discus title and Bruce Anderson won the 1983 shot put championship. In all, Martin coached 12 NAIA All-Americans and 11 NCAA All-Americans. His last All-American was high jumper Greg Jones, who in 1986 placed second outdoors (7-3) and fourth indoors (7-2 1/2) at the NCAA Division I Championships. Before coming to Eastern, Martin coached at Colfax High School, North Central High School, Spokane Community College, Columbia Basin College and Washington State University. He received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from WSU. He came to Eastern as an assistant football and assistant track coach in 1970, and became head track coach in 1972 after the drowning death of Arnie Pelluer. Pelluer and Martin started Eastern's annual twilight track meet in 1971, and the following year Martin renamed it the "Pelluer Invitational," which took place for the 36th time in 2007. The Jerry Martin Invitational Indoor Track and Field Meet was established in 1988, and the event took place for the 20th time in 2007. An expert in meet management, Martin continued to assist Eastern in hosting meets, including eight years as facilities coordinator for the WIAA State 2A/1A/B Championships hosted by EWU. For almost 30 years Martin was an instructor in the Eastern physical education department. And in 1999, the Washington Track and Field Coaches Association selected him to its Hall of Fame.