Holy Cross Athletics

Jim Barr is in his tenth season at Holy Cross as the head men's rowing coach in 2023-2024. 

In the spring of 2021, Barr led the Crusaders to a 15th place team finish at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championship, the best in program history. In addition, the varsity eight tied school records by being nationally ranked for five straight weeks and reaching a high ranking of No. 16.

During the 2015-2016 season, Barr led the varsity four to a fourth place finish at the IRA National Championship. It was the Crusaders’ best finish in an event at the IRAs since 1983 when the varsity four placed third. In addition, Sam Poryanda qualified for the U.S. men’s under-23 national team selection camp and Vince LaMonte attended the U.S. lightweight men’s under-23 national team selection camp. 

During Barr’s first season at the helm in 2014-2015, Holy Cross enjoyed an historic season with the varsity eight finishing a program-best 17th in the heavyweight eight competition at the IRA National Championship. The varsity eight was nationally ranked for five straight weeks and defeated six nationally ranked teams over the course of the year.  

Prior to his time as the head coach, Barr served as the assistant coach for the Crusaders during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons. He was also Holy Cross’ interim head women's rowing coach in the spring of 2020.

Barr was a four-year rower at Temple University and also rowed for Vesper and Malta for four summer seasons. At Temple, Barr was a stand-out athlete and was named Freshman of the Year after stroking the top eight in his first year. As a senior he received the Most Valuable Rower Award. At Vesper, Barr won four club national championships and four Canadian Henley golds in heavyweight boats and for Malta, he won Canadian Henley gold in the men's lightweight quad in 2013.

A Central Florida native and Winter Park High School graduate, Barr won four state championships and many medals at Stotesbury as well as scholastic and youth nationals including a gold in 2008 at scholastic nationals.