OFFICIAL SITE OF CANISIUS CRUSADERS ATHLETICS

Martin M. Crotty '94 did not join the crew team at Canisius High School until his junior year, but a late start didn't stop him from making a big splash in the sport.

During the spring session of is junior year, Marty was a member of the Junior Heavyweight Coxed Four that won the American Nationals championship – the first heavyweight crew for CHS to win a national championship in nearly 25 years. That summer, he was invited to compete with the U.S. National Team and was part of thr junior men's eight that won a bronze medal at the 1993 Junior World Championships in Norway.

In his senior year, Marty served as team captain and was part of the Varsity Four crew that won a gold medal at the U.S. Scholastic Rowing Championship. The summer following graduation, he was once again a member of the National Team junior men's eight in international competition.

The youngest of seven children, Marty has Crusader Blue and Gold in his DNA. His father, James '60, and brothers, Peter '85, Christopher '86, and Brendan '88, are all graduates. His rather rowed with Canisius teams that dominated the West Side Rowing Club's annual regattas, and his brother Chris, was a lightweight oarsman on a crew team that won just about every competition possible. While his family legacy was an influence, Marty credits his coach, Mark Kostrzewski '70, for bringing out the best in him.

"Mark Kostrzewski was a no-nonsense coach who recognized a certain drive in me and I was responsive to his guidence," Marty recalls. "As my first rowing coach, he got me started off on the best foot I could possibly put forward."

Marty continued rowing at Princeton University at which he earned a degree in American history in 1998. He was a member of the Princeton crews that won the freshman eight at the 1995 Interollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships, the varsity eight at the 1996 and 1998 IRA Chapionships, and the varsity eight at the 1997 Eastern Sprints. He aslo won a bronze medal at the 1995 Under-23 World Championships and earned a silver medal at the 1997 event. In addition, Marty was a member of the silver-medal winning men's four at the 1999 Pan-American Games.