Growth Opportunities

Mary Martin '17

Photo by Sean Simmers.

by Katya Hrichak '17 

The choice to come to Dickinson wasn’t a difficult one for Mary Martin ’17. Between the draw of playing for the women’s basketball team, the liberal-arts approach to education and the campus atmosphere, “Dickinson really stuck out to me on my visit,” she says.

When Martin hit the court her first year, the basketball team was what she described as “young,” but they’ve come a long way since that first season when they won only a handful of games. The team made the Centennial Conference (CC) playoffs in 2015-16 and 2016-17, and they finished this season 18-8. “I’ve watched this team grow and that has been the most rewarding part of [my experience],” she says.

She cites the team’s win over Muhlenberg at home this year as an example of that growth. “They were preseason ranked No. 1 and it’s always a tough game. I had never beaten them since I got here,” she says. “We were winning but then they kept hitting buzzer beaters and three-pointers.” After a grueling triple overtime, setting a CC record for the longest game ever, the Red Devils held them off and won the game. And while team victories are most rewarding, Martin’s athleticism places her ninth in the CC for scoring. She was also Rookie of the Year in 2013-14, received Honorable Mention All-CC in 2015-16 and has been a member of the CC Academic Honor Roll for the last three straight seasons.

Initially recruited as a guard, Martin excels all over the court and holds college records as a power forward. In addition to her conference achievements, Martin is ranked fourth at Dickinson for career rebounds and places in the top 10 for career foul shots attempted and career assists. And during the team’s Feb. 15 game against Franklin & Marshall College, Martin scored her 1,000th career point (see video below), becoming the fifth player in program history to record 1,000 points and over 650 rebounds.

When she’s not on the court, Martin is focused on her political science major while exploring the other disciplines Dickinson has to offer. “I didn’t take a minor because by the end of my sophomore year, I realized I just loved all different types of classes,” she says. “I enjoy just a little bit of everything.” The ability to take classes in a variety of disciplines helped Martin realize that she wanted to become a lawyer. She’s already been accepted to numerous law schools in the Northeast.

A member of Delta Nu sorority, Martin also is a founding member of the Hera Society, a new student organization that brings female student-athletes together to plan events and promote connections among the different sports teams. “We want the female athletics teams on campus to connect and support one another,” she says. And the support Martin received at Dickinson has prepared her for life beyond the limestone.

“Looking back, I will miss it a lot and I’ll have fond memories, but I also think Dickinson did a great job of preparing me and getting me ready to leave,” she says. “I’m so excited to go to law school and start the rest of my life.”

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Published April 5, 2017