Football: Ursinus Standout Greg Martell Earns Lofty Regional Honor
By Matt Leon
COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. (CBS) -- Division III Ursinus College has won a lot of games the last several college football seasons, thanks in part to very good defenses.
Recently, one of the key members of that defense picked up a prestigious honor.
Senior linebacker Greg Martell has been named the ECAC South Region "Defensive Player of the Year." This comes on the heels of Martell earning the "Defensive Player of the Year" honor for the Centennial Conference.
The Neshaminy High School graduate says a lot of coaches are responsible for his success, but he singled out one.
"Coach (defensive coordinator Ed) Lynett really put me in a lot of good situations this year that put me in some opportunities to make plays," Martell (right) says.
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Martell had high expectations for his senior season, but he says he had to overcome some offseason adversity to hit the ground running.
"I was hampered by hamstring injuries through the offseason," he says. "But I felt, right around the end of summer, that I was ready to be back -- my hamstring was feeling fine and I was right around full strength, so I felt ready to play and I felt ready to contribute."
And contribute he did. Martell led the Bears with 87 tackles, including seven for losses. He had five sacks, one interception, and added a forced fumble and fumble recovery for good measure.
What are the skills that allow him to make so many plays?
"I just never give up," he says. "I feel like I'm always hustling and I seem to somehow find myself in good opportunities to make plays. And just never being satisfied with my performance, and always working harder to get better."
With his playing career at Ursinus now in the rearview mirror, Martell says that once he graduates he hopes to get into coaching -- or land a job in finance.
