PHILADELPHIA –West Chester University women's lacrosse mentor,
Ginny Martino, will be inducted into the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame the Philadelphia Lacrosse Association (PLA) announced recently.
Martino captured her 14th conference title this past May in 25 years of coaching at West Chester University and led the Golden Rams to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game for the 11th time in 22 years that the NCAA has sponsored a championship at the Division II level. For that effort, Martino and her staff was recognized as the regional coaching staff of the year last month.
A two-time national coach of the year, and the all-time winningest head coach in NCAA Division II history with a pair of national titles in tow, is closing in on 400 career wins – a mark she should hit next spring. Her impact on the game of lacrosse in the region is immeasurable and goes much further beyond the game.
"I am truly honored to be chosen for the Eastern PA USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame," Martino commented. "To be recognized by your peers is one of the highest honors a person can receive. All of the players who I have coached over the last 25 years had a hand in this. They are the ones who made all of this possible and made it fun to come to work every day."
Martino has transferred her relentless commitment to the game and to the young ladies who play it from the field to real life. In 2009, she founded Lax-4-Life, a national lacrosse campaign to provide and support programs geared toward adolescent and young adult suicide prevention awareness. What started as a campaign throughout the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) women's lacrosse coaches has grown to involve more than 65 colleges and universities across all three divisions of the NCAA and then spread into the high school game.
Martino is one of the great ambassadors for women's lacrosse and women's athletics in Eastern Pennsylvania. She has become a role model for the plethora of female student-athletes who have had the pleasure to call her "coach". West Chester University's women's lacrosse team has annually ranked among the top programs at the school in team grade-point average while also maintaining a ranking among the Top 10 in the country.
Lax-4-Life also expanded into the men's lacrosse game as well as other sports at both the college and high school levels. The philanthropic endeavors of Martino have touched the lives of so many families throughout the Eastern PA region and beyond in the 14 years that Lax-4-Life has been raising awareness of teen suicide.
The PLA hosts the Hall of Fame induction ceremony every two years to honor the great players, coaches, officials, promoters and others who have made significant contributions to the game in Pennsylvania and are deserving of the highest recognition.
The PLA will hold its induction ceremony and reception at the United Sports Training Center, Downingtown, Pa., on September 9, 2023, at 2:00 pm.
Men's Division Class of 2023 Hall of Fame Honorees:
Kevin Finneran: Player
Ron Forster: Contributor
Chris Goldberg EdD: Contributor
Thomas B. Hannum III: Coach
Paul C. O'Grady: Coach
Women's Division Class of 2023 Hall of Fame Honorees:
Ethel "Feffie" Barnhill: Contributor
Lorraine Beers: Coach
Peggy Murphy Cellucci: Umpire
Laura Harmon Schuman: Player
Ginny Martino: Coach
Mary McCarthy Stefano: Player
