Senior standout volleyball player Mary Martin officially committed to Western Kentucky University on April 14. After talks with coaches, family and friends, Martin decided that WKU would be the best fit for her.

“The coaches at Western were all very nice and very relatable,” said Martin. “The campus is beautiful and the education building is brand new, which is great because I’ll be spending a lot of time there.”

Martin is the first setter in Dunbar history to have over 1,000 assists. Because of her accomplishment, Coach Jenny Morgan has coined a “1,000 assist club” with Martin as the first member.

A variety of high school athletes don’t get the opportunity to compete at the Division 1 level. Martin understands this and expressed how grateful she is for this opportunity.

“It feels great to sign at Division 1. I never thought that one of the top volleyball programs in the nation would want me,” she said.

Martin is currently featured on the volleyball team’s home page. “I am very excited to add Mary to the WKU roster,” said WKU head coach Travis Hudson in an article on the team’s site. “She’s a very versatile kid and can do a lot of things on the volleyball court, including being a setter.”

Growing up in a family who loves sports, Martin was a standout in not only volleyball, but softball as well. At an early age, Martin was exposed to WKU when she attended a softball camp on their campus.

The irony of Martin signing with the Hilltoppers is that it has been her dream school ever since that camp. Her family owns a lake house in Western Kentucky where she spends a few weeks out of her summer every year. Martin’s father grew up in Western Kentucky near the lake house they own, which is only a short drive away from WKU.

Martin received interest from a handful of other schools including Bellarmine University and Barry University in Florida. After visits to all three universities, Martin knew Western Kentucky University was the place for her.

“Every school I visited was very nice, but I wanted to go to a bigger school that was really focused on their athletics,” said Martin.  “When I walked into Western’s gym and athletic facilities, I knew this was the place for me.”

Martin plans on majoring in Mathematics and Secondary Education. After her collegiate volleyball career is over and she earns her degree, Martin said she plans on moving back to Lexington, finding a teaching job and starting a family.