Former Red Raider Named Head Volleyball Coach at Lesley

CAMBRIDGE – Yet another graduate of Tom Turco’s Big Red Machine has made it big.

Lesley University Athletics Director Jen Benway announced this week that the school has hired former All-Scholastic Barnstable High stalwart setter and captain Maribeth Martin as the new head coach of the women’s volleyball program.

New Lesley University volleyball head coach Maribeth Martin makes the second former Red Raider this year to be named a collegiate head coach.
Photo courtesy of Lesley University Athletics

“Maribeth is a hard worker with an energetic personality who will develop a strong rapport with our student-athletes and make a positive impact on the program both on and off the court,” said Benway. “She is very passionate about volleyball and the student-athlete experience and she will fit in great within the Lesley community and our staff.”

Martin, who originally shattered the Barnstable High all-time girls’ volleyball assists record in 2009 (1,256) only to have her record broken by Kayla Crook (2,000+), helped lead the Red Raiders to three straight Massachusetts Division I state championship titles (2006-2008) and four straight Old Colony League championships before embarking on a four-year career at Framingham State. She also helped leaded the Red & White to three straight Division 1 South Sectional championship titles.

Martin takes over a Lesley program that registered a historic season in 2014 as they finished 16-5 and advanced to the New England Collegiate Conference Semifinals.

“I am excited to work with striving individuals and look forward to adding on to the strong foundation that this program has,” said Martin. “There is certainly a bright future for this team.”

Martin was an All-Conference and All-Academic setter at Framingham State University where she helped lead her team to the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Tournament in her senior season. She compiled 2,008 assists and 610 digs in three seasons for the Rams.

Prior to her career at FSU, Martin was named an All-Scholastic by both the Boston Herald and Boston Globe at Barnstable High School. While at BHS, she played in three Division I State Championship matches and was just the fifth setter to surpass 1,000 assists in her career.

Maribeth Martin, seen here (standing, 3rd from left) with the 2008 Barnstable High Red Raiders State champions.
Photo courtesy of the BHS Atlhetic Hall of Fame

Martin started her coaching career at the recreation level in Barnstable in 2006 and then continued to coach at Cape Cod Volleyball Camp in 2013. She has also served as a coach for the Southern Alliance Volleyball Club.

Her mother, Marilou Martin, served this past spring as the Barnstable High boys’ volleyball head coach and has been an assistant for Turco on the girls’ team for over a decade.

A 2010 graduate of Barnstable High School, Martin joins 2009 BHS grad Melanie Appleman as the second former Turco pupil to take over a collegiate head coaching position this year. Appleman was named the head coach at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in April of this year. Appleman played her collegiate volleyball at Bridgewater State.

— Story  by Sean Walsh, sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm. Portions of this story were provided by Lesley University.