Dan Martin ‘63
A captain at Notre Dame of West Haven, Dan Martin went on to build an incredible career at the University of Vermont, where he was a three-year starting offensive guard, earning All-Yankee Conference and Second-Team UPI All-New England honors. Dan helped pave the way for record-breaking rushing performances and was later recognized as an All-American and UVM Athletic Hall of Famer, inducted in 2001. He was also a runner-up for the New England Unsung Hero Award, selected by The Boston Globe.
After graduating from UVM with a degree in Business Administration, Dan completed the demanding U.S. Army Ranger School and became a Captain. He served in South Vietnam as an Airborne Paratrooper, earning three Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross for his service.
Dan's commitment to football never ended. He spent more than 25 years as a football official, working high school and college games throughout Connecticut, including numerous Division I, II and III contests.
He also dedicated decades to giving back. As a past president of the Gene Casey Chapter of the Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Dan chaired the Scholar-Athlete Award for more than 20 years. He volunteered with the United Way, Valley YMCA and New Haven Football Officials Association.
Outside of his 30+ year career as a Manager of Chromium Process, Dan found another way to impact young people — coaching his daughter’s teams and serving as a mentor to countless athletes.
Today, Dan is battling Alzheimer’s disease and resides at the Douglas T. Jacobson Veterans Nursing Home in Port Charlotte, Florida.
A player. A coach. A mentor. A soldier. A leader. A Hall of Famer.
Dan Martin’s impact reaches far beyond the football field, and his legacy continues through the countless lives he has touched.
His wife, Carol, and daughter, Marisa Martin, proudly accept this honor on his behalf.
