SALEM, Ore. – Two years ago, Nathan Martin was attending Oregon State University and studying engineering. A standout sprinter from Cascade High School, he thought his track and field career was over when he decided to pursue academics at OSU rather than continuing his athletic career.

Flash forward to 2016. Martin is nearing the end of his second year as a member of the men's track and field team at Corban University and has put together an unprecedented resume on the track.

"I thought I was done after high school," said Martin. "But I really missed it. I was running un-attached on a 4x1 team at the OSU High Performance Meet and Brad (Bates) approached me. He had talked to me about Corban when I was in high school but I was intent on OSU."

Bates convinced him to transfer to Corban and join the track team. After contacting his high school coaches for workout plans, he spent the summer before the 2014-15 season getting back into sprint shape and working on hurdle technique.

"At OSU, I worked out and lifted, but I didn't do track workouts. My first practice with the team at Corban, we were warming up and I was just thinking, 'Wow, this is a lot of running,'" he said while laughing.

His freshman year at Corban, he ran a time of 15.62 seconds in the 110 Hurdles, breaking a four-year old school record in the process. He also set the school record in the 100 Meters with a time of 10.94 seconds. At the CCC Championships in 2015, he finished third in the 200 Meters, fourth in the 100 Meters, and was a member of the 4x100 Relay which won the CCC title and qualified for the NAIA National Championships.

"He's talented," Bates said. "But he sets a great example by his work ethic and has become more of a leader this year for our guys and that has been really fun to see."

This season, Martin has reset his own record in the 100 Meters with a time of 10.92 seconds, as well as in the 110 Hurdles, as he uncorked a time of 15.17 seconds. In the 200 Meters, he ran a personal best time of 21.89 seconds at the SOU Raider Invitational.

Going into the CCC Championships, he is seeded first in the 200 Meters, fifth in the 100 Meters and fifth in the 110 Hurdles. He also runs the third leg on the 4x100 meter relay team that is ranked sixth.

"I'm excited," he said. "In the hurdles I'm going to be racing next to guys who are running them in 14 seconds, so I'm hoping to cut some time off there.

"But no matter what happens, everything works out in the end. That's something I've learned from being on a team with people who run for God every single day. We've worked hard this season and I'm excited to see that work pay off."

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***Other notes from Sports Information about Corban men's track & field:

- The 2016 CCC Championships are set to take place on Friday and Saturday of this week in Hermiston, Ore.

- Live Stats will be available here

 - Martin ranks No. 1 overall in the CCC in the 200 Meters (21.89) while placing third overall last year at the CCC Championships in the event… Boasts school record in 100 Meters (10.92), ranking No. 5 in the CCC… Owns school record in 110 Meter Hurdles (15.17), ranking No. 5 in CCC

- Christian Bohuslavizki ranks No. 3 in the 400 Meters (50.04)… Ranks fourth in the 400 Hurdles (55.52)

- Zach Steele ranks No. 6 in the CCC in the 10k (32:40.50)…

- Jason Bracken ranks No. 4 in the CCC in the High Jump (6' 4")

- Luke Jackson ranks No. 4 in the CCC in the Pole Vault (14' 4.5")

-Timothy Yee ranks No. 4 in the CCC in the Triple Jump (43' 7.25")

- Dane Walker ranks No. 3 in the Shot Put in the CCC (45' 9.75"), No. 2 in the Discus (144' 11"), and No. 6 in the Hammer Throw (137' 11")… Walker holds the school record in the Discus and Hammer…

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