Year: 2022
Award: Milestone
Location/Affiliation: Adams State University
- 20th NCAA Cross Country Championship
- Coached over 1,275 All-Americans
- 3rd straight National Championship
It’s rare that our awards night doesn’t feature at least one Adams State University cross country runner, track and field athlete, or a Grizzlies team. And, much of the credit for that can be given to our Milestone Award honoree, Coach Damon Martin.
When Martin’s women’s cross country team won its third straight NCAA Division II national title in the fall, it marked Martin’s 20th NCAA championship in the sport… making him just the third coach, in any division, to ever win 20 or more titles in a single sport. Now, that’s a milestone!
Martin’s championship run started back in 1992. Giving him 20 national women’s cross country team titles in just thirty years! His specialty is coaching distance runners. Female and male. He’s the head coach of both the women’s and men’s cross country, and track and field teams.
Overall, his teams have won a combined 38 national championships. He’s a 38-time National Coach of the Year! He’s coached 1,275 All-Americans and 130 individual national champions. Damon Martin’s athletes dominate. Especially his women’s distance runners. Coach, we congratulate you on your latest milestone.
By Marcia Nevile, Former Sports Broadcaster, 2-Time SWOC Honoree
