Aug. 9, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Commodores will have a familiar face on the lacrosse sidelines this upcoming season.
Vanderbilt head coach Cathy Swezey announced Tuesday the hiring of former volunteer assistant coach Ford Martin as an assistant coach.
Martin was a volunteer assistant coach for the Commodores for two seasons working primarily with the goalkeepers before he graduated in the fall of 2015. He worked with senior goalie Callahan Kent during he first two seasons as a Commodore. This past year, Kent had a breakout season achieving second team All-BIG EAST honors after finishing fourth in the nation in saves with 156.
“It is really quite the natural fit, working with Ford as an undergrad,” Swezey said. “I was always very impressed with his maturity and his ability to work with a group of girls when he was sharing classes with them on the same day. We really believe in his character, we really believe in his ability and I think he is going to take great care of our goalkeepers.”
Swezey also noted the benefits of hiring a coach that is familiar with the program.
“I think we are all looking for some consistency,” Swezey said. “Having somebody come in that the players are familiar with is going to make a huge difference.
“I’m very excited to get back down to Vandy and work with the team full-time,” Martin said. “I’m looking forward to working with Cathy, Beth (Hewitt), and Sallie (Finnegan) on getting the team ready to have a successful season.”
Martin, a native of Potomac, Md., played goalie at Georgetown Prep and started 43 consecutive games in net. His team won three IAC championships, finished No. 1 in the state of Maryland his sophomore and senior seasons and was ranked in the top 15 nationally all three years.
Georgetown Prep started the “Ford Martin Award for Courage and Perseverance in the Face of Adversity,” which he goes back every year and awards to a senior lacrosse player.
He graduated from Vanderbilt in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications of Science & Technology.
