Martin receiving Distinguished Award of Excellence from Wooster

The College of Wooster men’s basketball team was fortunate to have Bruce Martin leave his mark and help the program achieve its status as the winningest NCAA Division III team of the 2000s. The 26-year volunteer assistant is this year’s W Association Distinguished Award of Excellence inductee.

Martin was asked by Wooster coach Steve Moore to come assist the program after a successful 21-year coaching career in the West Holmes school system. The two had a previous relationship due to coaching their daughters’ youth teams together.

Moore had a great deal of respect for Martin’s coaching abilities upon his arrival in Wooster, as he looked at some of the West Holmes players early in his coaching tenure. Matt Sprang, who played for Martin at West Holmes, came to the college in 1994, the same year Martin joined the staff. Martin’s teaching went beyond the team, as he is still an instrumental part of Camp Fighting Scot in the summer.

Martin’s dedication to the program, his knowledge of the game and his ability to teach fundamentals led to Wooster posting a 637-139 record in his 26 years as a volunteer. Three runs to the national semifinals, headlined by making the 2011 NCAA Div. III championship game, took place during Martin’s tenure. Wooster won 16 of its North Coast Athletic Conference-leading 19 championships with Martin assisting the team. One of his other favorite memories is 30 wins over archnemesis Wittenberg University.

Martin’s preparation and game planning gave Wooster a sizable leg up over the competition, something Mooreattributes to the program’s sustained success.

“When he retired from teaching, I would call him a full-time film watcher,” Moore said in his speech during the dedication of Steve Moore Court at Timken Gymnasium. “He had a den in his house where he watched film all day long before he came to practice and was tremendous in preparing us for our opponents. It got to the point where coach (Doug) Cline and I did not even have to know the plays of the other team because coach Martin knew them.”

Martin retired from coaching following the 2019-20 season. He stays active with landscaping at Fire Ridge Golf Course and Millersburg Methodist Community Church. Martin and his wife Pam have three daughters and seven grandchildren and spend a good portion of their time cheering on their grandchildren at their sporting events.

Along with Martin, a class of eight College of Wooster greats have been selected for induction into the W Association Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is set for Friday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Scheide Music Center’s Gault Recital Hall as part of the College’s Homecoming for Alumni and Families Weekend. A reception will follow the induction ceremony.