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| Chad Martinovich coached MIT to a 7-3 record last season, its first in the NEWMAC for football. MIT athletics photo |
After nine years leading the Massachusetts Institute of Technology football program to unprecedented success, Chad Martinovich will take over as the new head football coach at the University of Rochester.
He replaces Scott Greene, who stepped down at the end of the 2017 season with a 50-64 record in 12 seasons. The hiring of Martinovich was announced by athletic director George VanderZwaag.
"We are thrilled to have Chad join our staff," said VanderZwaag. "His experience uniquely qualifies him for the challenges and opportunities in this position. We couldn't be more optimistic about the future of Rochester football. We are also excited to welcome his wife, Erin, and his children, Hailey and Tyler, to our community."
Martinovich served as the head coach at MIT for nine seasons (2009-17). During that time, he steadily built the MIT program into a successful unit. MIT won the New England Football Conference championship in 2014, earned its first NCAA Division III playoff berth, and advanced to the second round after a first-round win at Husson. The final record was 10-1.
Martinovich was 37-49 in his time at MIT. “It has been a privilege to lead the MIT football program for the past nine years,” said Martinovich. “I believe the MIT administration will do what is needed to help continue the progress that we have made as a team and I wish the MIT football program nothing but success on and off the field next season.”
Following the 2014 season, he was named NEFC Coach of the Year, New England Football Writers College Division Coach of the Year, ECAC Coach of the Year, and the American Football Coaches Association Region I Division III Coach of the Year.
"I am honored and humbled to be recognized as the head football coach at the University of Rochester," Martinovich said. "I would like to thank George VanderZwaag for the opportunity to lead the Rochester football family. He and I share a vision for what the football program will become and I cannot wait to get to work on the process of building it."
In the 2017 season, he directed MIT to success on both the gridiron and in the classroom. MIT was 7-3 overall, 5-2 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference. The Engineers were tied for third in the nation in fewest sacks allowed (five). The team averaged 26.8 points per game and almost 400 yards of total offense per game.
During his nine years in Cambridge, MIT football players have earned 17 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards, including seven selections to the First Team. The MIT quarterback was named the 2017 CoSIDA Division III Football Academic All-American of the Year.
From a football standpoint at MIT, he has coached two All-Americans, 16 All-Region players, four All-New England performers, and 63 all-conference players.
"Chad built a successful football program at one of the top private research universities in the country," VanderZwaag said. "With his leadership, we are well-positioned to develop a program that attracts the most outstanding students and talented players from around the country."
His arrival at Rochester brings him back to roots in Western New York State. Martinovich graduated from Hobart in June 1994 where he played football. He had coaching stops at Bucknell (1994-95), Hamilton (1995-97), and Albany (1997-98). In July 1998, he joined the coaching staff at Swarthmore as offensive coordinator and remained there through the program's demise in 2000.
"It's exciting to return to New York, where my playing and most of my coaching roots are," Martinovich said. "I look forward to getting to know the students on our team and helping them improve on a daily basis. The University of Rochester is an institution that strives for excellence in everything. With Rochester's tremendous academic reputation and the commitment to excellence in athletics, I believe we can recruit talented young men from around the country who will work to be champions on and off the field."
Martinovich returned to Hamilton in April 2001 for a three-year stint as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He also served as an assistant professor of physical education.
He moved to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in June 2004. He was the offensive coordinator for one season before being named the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in December 2004. His RPI defense ranked first in the Liberty League for three straight years. RPI played in the 2007 NCAA Division III playoffs and was crowned an ECAC Bowl champion on three other occasions.
He accepted the head coaching position at MIT in April 2009.
Martinovich is the 31st man to serve as football coach at Rochester. He replaces Scott Greene who coached for 12 seasons (2006-17). He led Rochester to back-to-back ECAC Bowl playoff appearances (2006-07). His 50 career coaching victories rank him third all-time on the River Campus.
Football began at Rochester in 1889. The 2018 season will be the 130th for the school.