Billy Martin Inks Letter of Intent to Wagner

Huntington High School senior Billy Martin has signed an NCAA Division I letter of intent to attend Wagner College and play lacrosse for the Seahawks on a scholarship.

“My decision to go to Wagner was a simple one,” Martin said. “I wanted the feel of a big city school, but with the small school benefits. Wagner College has both. New York City is a free 20 minute ferry ride away and it’s a small school in a country setting for my studies.” 

Located on Staten Island, Wagner was founded in 1883. The small liberal arts school enrolls about 1,850 undergraduates and 375 graduate students. The college is located on Grymes Hill, an area that includes historic estates and mansions. The campus, which Martin called “beautiful,” totals 105 acres and overlooks Manhattan.

 “The lacrosse program was a huge attraction,” Martin said about what led him to Wagner. “Aside from being Division I, the biggest reason was to be able to play for Matt Poskay. Coach Poskay had an amazing college career playing for the University of Virginia. He continues to play professionally with the Boston Cannons. I feel like I am walking into a program that is dedicated to growing.”

Martin said he is “seriously thinking about pursuing a career in the health care field as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. Wagner is a liberal arts college that will give me the opportunity to investigate many study options.”

Martin played football this fall for the Blue Devil team that won the Suffolk title and advanced to the Long Island championship. But, while he enjoyed the experience, lacrosse is his No. 1 sport and he’s a key player on attack for Huntington.

“Lacrosse has always been my first love,” Martin said. “I have been playing since kindergarten. I have been fortunate enough to have had the chance to play in the Suffolk County finals twice; in 2011 as a freshman and then last year as a junior.”

As the senior prepares for his final scholastic season wearing the blue and white, he is determined to make every minute on the field count. “My goal this year is to help bring the team back to the finals and then hopefully to win a county championship,” Martin said.

Looking back over his past four years at Huntington High School, the teenager feels good and what he has done academically, socially and athletically. “I couldn’t have been happier with my experiences throughout high school, between the great classes that I have taken, the tons of friends that I’ve made and the exceptional teachers,” Martin said. “When it comes to playing lacrosse at Huntington, I think of it as an honor to be playing for a program with such a rich tradition in the sport.”