By Jack O'Marra
Coordinator, Sports Communication
 
On the heels of winning the individual 2026 Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship - the first in Rhode Island's program history - Nick Martin is already thinking about what accomplishment is next for him and his fellow Rhody distance runners.

"We're serious. We can be really, really good. And this year is just a continuation of that," Martin said. "We're going to go out there, and we're going to show them what we're capable of. Everyone is like in the best shape we've ever been in right now."

It was a successful day for the Rams as a whole, with the team placing third, matching the best-ever finish in program history. While winning the individual title, Martin set the event record at the Atlantic 10 Championship, running the eight-kilometer race in 23:30.4. There is a common consensus from Martin and his coaches that he can run faster and better than that.

"I had a race plan; the plan was to run from the front and stretch out the field," Martin said. "I know I'm capable of putting up a time like that. I think in that race, I could have run faster, but I did what it took to win."

The senior from East Greenwich, R.I. was already firmly on the radar of collegiate running. This is just the latest chapter in an already illustrious running career at URI. Martin won the Atlantic 10 Indoor 3k and 5k races in 2026. He holds the school record in the indoor mile, 3K, 5K, steeplechase, and now has eight top-10 finishes in cross-country.
 

Just a month prior to his historic finish at the conference championship, Martin had what his coaches regarded at the time as the best race in decades for a Ram. Martin ran fourth at the Paul Short Run in a field of 328 runners.

"Paul Short is one of the biggest races we go to. One of the biggest races on the East Coast," Martin said. "So, that felt good because I feel like I've proven myself on the track last year, but I still felt like I had something to prove (in cross country). So to go out there against some of the top guys in the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic and to be fourth at such a high-profile meet was huge. I think I'm kind of putting my name out there."

The success and accolades didn't happen overnight for Martin. The process has been a long and dedicated one that he has put a lot of time into.

"I run as much as I can without getting injured; that's really the key. The consistency of it. It's just been a lot of slow building." Martin said. "You don't see the results in running immediately. It's a long-term process, and you have to be willing to work towards that long-term goal of getting better."

Martin put years and years of work into getting where he is now. The commitment and focus have resulted in the visible gains. He elevates training intensity and overall volume as the years go on, and that has compounded to where he is at today.

Martin started running in middle school, though he never thought it would be his sport. In fact, he didn't even like it that much. He wanted to play baseball – even had dreams of making the MLB.
"I was hugely into baseball. That was like my whole life. And I just kind of ran to stay in shape," Martin said. "In fifth grade, I ran the Junior Olympics for cross country. I got recruited by a gym teacher to do that, and it was the first time I ever ran. That was pretty good, but I still wasn't in love with running."

The main reason Martin started to run was to stay in shape for the baseball season. He stuck to it through middle school and into Freshman year, and that is when everything started to come together.

"That was the first time I've ever consistently trained for more than a month straight. And I was good," Martin said. "I got really, really good for a high school freshman, and I was like, maybe I should stick out this running thing."

The plan was for Martin to still play baseball, but in the spring, the baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and just like that, running became the primary focus.

"I think things really took off from like senior year in high school. I had some big PRs," Martin said. "And, you know, I was able to get the opportunity to come here and be on the team."

Brian Doyle, assistant coach for men's cross country & track & field at URI, was at one of Martin's meets as a senior, and Doyle was the first person who provided Martin a look into the culture and vision of the cross country and track programs.

URI was always on Martin's radar as both of his parents went to URI, and he really liked the school. But it was his visit with the team that sold him to commit to the program and school.

"I loved the team and the coaches. Coach Doyle and Coach Trent Baltzell showed me their future vision for this program and how I could fit into that," Martin said. "I wanted to come here and run for them. I can contribute to a team that's going to be really good."

Martin saw the opportunity to grow as an athlete at URI, and believed he could capitalize on the growing success he found in high school. Since joining, he and his teammates have embraced the culture that's been built by the coaching staff, developing this new age of distance runners in both cross country and track at URI.

"We had some good older talent that was like really kind of paved the way for the younger guys," Martin said. "We call each other out when we could be doing certain things better. It's really a good sense of accountability. They're my family, and we have each other's backs, and it's a bond that I don't think I'll ever get anywhere else outside of this team. That's why I love the sport so much."

Beyond the track and course, Martin is heavily invested in his academics at the university. He is currently a computer science major and is also in the cybersecurity accelerated bachelor's to master's program. The program is designed to assist students setting up internship and post-graduation jobs in the government sector.

"I'm really interested in the techie, nerdy computer world. I'm working towards, ideally, working professionally in cybersecurity," Martin said. "I'm exploring options with the government right now too."

With the new NCAA rules and Martin's academic track, he intends to compete in his fifth year of eligibility. With that, Martin looks to build on the success of not only his individual career but also to continue the legacy and upward trajectory of URI's cross country and track programs.

"We're headed in a really good direction. We got a lot of good guys working really hard for the success," Martin said. "I think you're going to continue to see some special team results this year."

Martin is driven each day to use his talent and make the most of it, because he knows what he has is special, and the opportunities ahead can be special.

"I'm really good at something, and a lot of people like spend a lot of time trying to find something that they're this fortunate to be this good at," Martin said. "I just want to make the absolute most of it because I know there are a lot of people that would love to be in my shoes. So, I don't want to waste that opportunity."

Martin and the Rams aim to make nationals for Cross Country this fall. Rhode Island races next at the NCAA Regionals on Friday, Nov. 13, in Bethpage, N.Y.