Suffice it to say, Denise Martin was ahead of her time. Those who watched her play witnessed her tremendous athleticism. In a time when wins were hart to manufacture for those first Viterbo softball teams, she was a bright spot for the V-Hawks, earning Midwest Women's Collegiate Conference All-Conference and All-Tournament honors in her final season.

What impressed people the most about Denise Martin was her dedication in the off-season. Always striving to improve and to succeed, Denise Martin embodied the spirit of Viterbo Ahtletic's, and her outstanding work ethic on the field and in the classroom culminated in her being named Viterbo's student-athlete of the year in 1989.