Hall of Fame
Tony Martinez was a two-time First Team All-Little East Conference (LEC) selection while helping lead the Plymouth State University men’s basketball team to four consecutive winning seasons and a pair of LEC regular season championships from 1997-2001.
Martinez concluded his collegiate career amassing 1,556 career points and 626 career rebounds over his 108 career games played, leading the Panthers to a record of 69-39 during that span. He finished his career ranked third all-time in scoring, and is ranked fifth on the program’s all-time list today.
The Barnstead, New Hampshire native averaged 12 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his first season in a starting role as a sophomore, helping lead the Panthers to a share of the LEC regular season title and a berth in the LEC Championship Tournament Final. After falling in the conference title game, PSU qualified for and hosted the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship, advancing to the tournament final after defeating Wheaton and Amherst. The Panthers finished the season with an overall record of 22-8, setting the program-record for wins in a season.
Martinez’s production took off as a junior, as he averaged 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 53-percent from the floor. He tied for 30th in the nation in scoring average on his way to being named First Team All-LEC for the first time in his career. He was once again named First Team All-LEC as a senior, during which he averaged 21.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48-percent from the field. He also garnered Third Team All-ECAC honors and was selected to play in the New England Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Classic.
Martinez earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Plymouth State in 2002, and was inducted into the Plymouth State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. He has remained involved in athletics as a high school basketball coach, helping lead Pittsfield High School to a New Hampshire State Championship in 2018 and now serving as head coach at Belmont High School.