Five years ago, Stefanie Marty took the ice as a member of Syracuse’s inaugural team.

Four years ago, she scored an Olympic-record nine goals as Switzerland’s star forward in the Vancouver Games.

And Saturday, she notched her first tally of the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia — her third Olympics at just 24 years old.

“What an awesome experience it must be for her,” SU head coach Paul Flanagan said. “Three Olympics is pretty amazing. It’s a credit to Stefanie with her training.”

After playing at Syracuse for two seasons, Marty is now in her third Olympics. The Swiss advanced to the semifinals after a 2-0 win over Russia on Saturday, but fell to Canada and will face Sweden in the bronze-medal game Thursday.

While at Syracuse, Marty trained with the goal of becoming an Olympian and has transferred that work ethic to the ice in Russia.

Marty’s career began at the University of New Hampshire, where she stayed for one season before leaving for Syracuse.

Flanagan reminisced about the time when she first visited Syracuse, a critical moment in the program’s history.

“For me as the coach, not having anyone, when Stefanie transferred in here, it gave us immediate credibility,” he said.

When Marty began her sophomore season with SU, she quickly proved her worth when she was named co-captain. She led the Orange in points with 22, and was second on the team in goals with 10.

“She was our first captain. We’ve missed her ever since she’s left,” Flanagan said.

It was evident in the locker room that Marty held her teammates accountable. But she would also be the first to express disappointment in her play if it didn’t meet expectations.

Caitlin Roach, who was a freshman during Marty’s final season with Syracuse, said Marty’s success in Sochi is a testament to her dedication to the sport.

“It’s awesome seeing someone out there represent the Orange during the Olympics,” Roach said. “She was just really a hard worker, both on and off the ice.“

Marty’s goal was to sustain the necessary training that would elevate her to compete with the best hockey players in the world at the Olympics.

Flanagan said that Marty was in the weight room every single day, providing an example for the younger players to follow. Her combination of elite offensive prowess and pursuit of excellence was the exception, not the norm.

“She always had that drive that she would be an Olympian,” Flanagan said. “She had that drive to do the extra things. For some of our girls, it’s hard to get them to understand that because a lot of them don’t have the Olympic dream.”

Marty achieved her dream at a young age playing in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, at the age of 17. Now in her third Olympic Games, her success is leaving lasting impressions on former teammate Margot Scharfe, who watches from Syracuse.

Scharfe earned the honor of team captain, which was held by Marty for two straight seasons. As the new leader of this program, Scharfe can’t help but attempt to emulate the role of the former Syracuse standout.

“She was an inspiring player to play under, so I was really lucky as a freshman to have her as a senior,” Scharfe said. “I can honestly say that she’s the hardest worker I ever played with.”

Published on February 17, 2014 at 10:59 pm