A three-time All-American during his collegiate career at Ithaca, Marty recently completed his 29th season as head coach of the Bombers, improving his career record to 329-111-1.

Marty began his coaching journey with assistant roles at Cornell University and Ithaca High School, eventually returning to Ithaca College as an assistant coach in 1994. He was promoted to head coach in 1997 and made an immediate impact, earning NWCA Rookie Coach of the Year after leading the Bombers to a 7-5 record and a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Championships—an impressive turnaround from the previous 0-8 season.
 
Over the years, Marty has received numerous accolades, including NCAA Coach of the Year in 2011, seven ECWC Coach of the Year honors, Mideast Region Coach of the Year in 2018, 2020, and 2023, NCAA Championships Coach of the Year in 2018, and SUNYAC Coaching Staff of the Year for the 2023-24 academic year. When asked what makes Ithaca College a contender each year for a national championships Marty shared this, “It’s all about building and sticking with a routine and a winning pattern during the year,”. “Small stuff like what you’re eating, what you do when you warm up, and all of the little nuances that go on … you have to have enough repetition to do it under stress.” Marty’s formula has certainly produced great results.
 
The wrestlers he has coached over the years have racked up a high number of accolades under his leadership. He has had seven individual NCAA Champions along with 46 student-athletes that have earned All-America honors.
 
As a student-athlete, Nichols qualified for the NCAA Championships in all four years of his collegiate career, winning the first of four 150-pound regional titles in 1987. He placed sixth nationally as a sophomore and followed that with a standout junior season, recording 32 wins, a 13-2 dual-match record, and a fifth-place finish at nationals—contributing to Ithaca's first-ever NCAA team title. As a senior, Marty finished as national runner-up and helping Ithaca earn its second national title. Marty finished his career with a record of 115-38, which ranks tied for 10th in program history for career wins.

For all the accomplishments and effort advocating for the sport of wrestling, the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame welcome Marty Nicholas to the Hall of Fame. Marty’s bio and photo will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.