Over his time on the River Campus, Martin Heath has helped take the University of Rochester squash program to new heights.
Heath took over the program in 2005-06 and compiled an overall record of 166-88 (.654) record, including a sparkling 46-11 conference record in the Liberty League. Heath led UR to its first ever appearance in the national championship match in 2015-16 and has coached two players to the finals of the CSA Individual Championships, coming in 2015-16 and 2016-17. The Scotland native also was selected as Liberty League Coach of the Year nine times during his tenure.
In 2021, Heath transitioned to a new role with the program, becoming the Squash Director of Elite Performance at Rochester, maintaining his key relationship with the program under new head coach Mario Yanez Tapia.
Heath coached a multitude of players to a total of 37 All-American honors during his time as head coach, including 2017 graduates Ryosei Kobayashi and Mario Yanez Tapia who each were four-time 1st Team All-Americans. Also, in 2017, Rochester achieved another program first, reaching the #1 ranking in the CSA following the teams win over eventual national champion Trinity in January. Three of Heath's players, Benjamin Fischer in '12, Kobayashi in '17 and Ricardo Lopez '19 also earned the CSA's coveted Skillman Award, given annually as the top award in intercollegiate men's squash.
In 2018-19, UR reached as high as a #2 ranking nationally during the year and beat five top-10 teams, including then #1 Trinity on January 15th. UR compiled a 14-4 overall record, ranking as the second most wins in a single-season in school history.
The 2015-16 season saw the Yellowjackets finish the season 12-4 and reached the finals of the CSA Potter Cup Tournament for the first time, defeating #5 Penn and #1 Trinity en route to the title match where UR would end up falling just short, dropping a 5-4 decision to #2 and host Yale in the championship match.
The year prior, he helped Rochester defeat two top-ranked teams, the only team that accomplished the feat that season. Included in the 12-5 record that season were wins over Harvard and eventual national champion Trinity, the Bantams only loss of the year and UR's second win ever over the perennial power. Heath earned his 100th career win coaching Rochester after the 7-2 Harvard win in December.
At the time Heath took over the program, the squash team was ranked pre-season No. 28 in the College Squash Association. The intervening years saw the program rise from 25-16-10-3-4, the fastest rise in the 90-year history of the CSA. The Yellowjackets were rewarded by winning the Barnaby Trophy for Most Improved Team in 2006-07 & 2007-08. In the program's rise in joining the CSA's elite, Heath guided the Yellowjackets to eight total Liberty League Championships (2007-12, 2018-19).
He also has served on the Executive Committee for the College Squash Association for the past five seasons, including being Men's CSA President in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Heath has touched the sport on many levels – player, coach, writer, and commentator. He joined the Professional Squash Association world circuit in 1993. There, he spent six consecutive years in the World’s top 10 ranking, reaching a high of #4. He was a six-time Scottish champion.
In 2000, Heath became a professional commentator and presenter for various televised squash media outlets, including ESPN, TSN, CBC, BBC, SKY, and The Tennis Channel. He was a monthly columnist for Squash magazine, the largest publication of its type in North America and continues to emcee & commentate on several major PSA events.
Heath graduated from the University of Glasgow with a BS in Physiology and Sports Science and completed his MBA at the Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester in the spring of 2010.
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| YEAR BY YEAR COACHING RECORD |
|
|
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE |
|
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
WIN |
LOSS |
WIN |
LOSS |
POSTSEASON (CSA RANK) |
| 2005-06 |
University of Rochester |
6 |
11 |
0 |
4 |
CSA Conroy (D) Cup (#25) |
| 2006-07 |
University of Rochester |
10 |
9 |
2 |
2 |
CSA Hoehn (B) Cup (#16) |
| 2007-08 |
University of Rochester |
15 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
CSA Hoehn (B) Cup (#10) |
| 2008-09 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#3) |
| 2009-10 |
University of Rochester |
10 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#4) |
| 2010-11 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#4) |
| 2011-12 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#5) |
| 2012-13 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#5) |
| 2013-14 |
University of Rochester |
8 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#7) |
| 2014-15 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#5) |
| 2015-16 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#2) |
| 2016-17 |
University of Rochester |
13 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#5) |
| 2017-18 |
University of Rochester |
9 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#6) |
| 2018-19 |
University of Rochester |
14 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#4) |
| 2019-20 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
CSA Potter (A) Cup (#6) |
|
ROCHESTER TOTALS |
166 |
88 |
46 |
11 |
|
|
GRAND TOTALS |
166 |
88 |
46 |
11 |
12 Potter Cup Appearances |
|
PERCENT |
.654 |
.807 |
|
(updated 7/2022)
