Bryan Stark joined the Harvard baseball team as an assistant coach in the fall of 2014 after two seasons at Navy in the same capacity. He enters his 11th season with the program in the 2024-25 academic year. Stark was promoted to Associate Head Coach in the summer of 2019.
In 2024, Harvard totaled seven Ivy League awards, including Ivy League Pitcher of the Year honors for Callan Fang and unanimous First Team All-Ivy accolades for Ben Rounds who hit .403, becoming the first member of the Crimson to hit above .400 since 2004. Over the course of the season, Harvard earned at least one win over all seven other Ivy programs.
Following the 2024 season, the Crimson tallied a pair of MLB Draft selections for the second straight season as right-hander Sean Matson went to the Cleveland Guardians in the ninth round with the 265th overall pick and right-hander Tanner Smith went to the San Diego Padres in the 15th round with the 450th overall selection.
Stark helped guide the Crimson to a berth in the inaugural Ivy League Tournament in 2023, securing the No. 2 seed behind a 15-6 Ivy League record, marking Harvard’s most Ivy League wins since 2005. The Crimson captured six of its seven Ivy League series during the regular season. Stark coached Callan Fang to earn Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors as the Crimson tallied five All-Ivy honorees and five Academic All-District selections.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Crimson boasted a pair of draft picks in the 2023 MLB Draft. On the second day of the draft, the Los Angeles Angels took right-handed pitcher Chris Clark in the fifth round with the 147th overall pick while the Cleveland Guardians snagged right-handed pitcher Jay Driver in the ninth round with the 278th overall pick.
In 2022, the Crimson returned to competition following a pause due to COVID-19, winning 19 games, including 10 Ivy wins, and finishing in fourth place in the Ivy League standings. Harvard recorded a pair of wins over Power Five opponents during its non-conference season, topping Miami – 11-6 in the season opener – and UCLA – in a 5-0 shutout victory. The Crimson pitching staff ranked 29th in the NCAA in strikeouts per game (9.8) while Harvard’s batters ranked 51st in the nation in doubles per game (2.1). Harvard totaled five All-Ivy selections and three CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees.
In 2019, Stark was a member of the staff that coached the Crimson to its first Ivy League title and NCAA appearance since 2005. Seven members of the team earned Ivy League honors, including Jake Suddelson, who was named Ivy League Player of the Year. Stark and the Harvard staff were instrumental in helping two of their players, Patrick McColl and Hunter Bigge, become MLB draft selections.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvard did not compete during the 2021 baseball season. In 2020, the Crimson played six contests before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of the remaining season.
In his fourth season with the Crimson in 2018, Stark accompanied a successful Harvard team to a Beanpot Championship title — its first since 2014 and fifth in program history — and its most wins since 2005 with a 22-20 overall record. Harvard tied for third in the conference with an Ivy record of 12-9, with contribution from seven All-Ivy players and four NEIBA All-New England selections.
In 2018, Stark was a part of the coaching staff that helped Noah Zavolas and Simon Rosenblum-Larson become 2018 MLB Draft picks for the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively. In addition, the team was recognized for the NCAA Academic Progress Rate Public Recognition Award, with 21 players recognized by the ECAC for academic accomplishments.
During the 2017 season, the Crimson posted a 19-23 overall record, including an appearance in The Beanpot championship game. Harvard tallied four All-Ivy selections at the end of the season.
In 2016, Stark helped Harvard to their most successful season since 2010, going 17-24 overall, and 9-11 in Ivy League play. Under his mentorship John Fallon and Matt Rothenberg emerged as dangerous threats in the Harvard lineup.
During his first season at Harvard in 2015, he played a key role in helping the team to an 18-24 record, giving the program its most wins since 2007.
While at Navy in Annapolis during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Stark served as the first base coach, while working with hitters and infielders. Stark guided several Midshipmen to first team all-conference honors during his tenure.
Before arriving at Navy, he spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Rochester in 2012 in his hometown. While at Rochester, Stark maintained various responsibilities for the Yellow Jackets, including working with the team's hitters and outfielders.
Stark has also served as general manager of the Youses Orioles, the Baltimore Orioles' collegiate summer league affiliate, and as the head coach of the Brockton Rox of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, where he was named Manager of the Year in 2014.
After graduating from SUNY Oswego in 2010, Stark was an assistant coach at his alma mater for one season in 2011. He played four seasons at SUNY Oswego where he earned all-conference honors and captained the team in his final two years.
