Harvard University

Jesse Foglia enters his sixth season with the Harvard men’s heavyweight crew team as an assistant coach in 2021-22. Foglia helps oversee all aspects of the program after spending the previous three years prior to his arrival with the Columbia lightweight team.

In his five seasons in Cambridge, he has helped the Crimson to a 19-4 record in head-to-head races, three top-3 efforts at Eastern Sprints and three top-4 performances at the IRA National Championships.

Foglia joined the Lions’ staff in 2013, collaborating on all training, technical development, logistical operations, recruiting and general team management decisions. During his time, he helped lead the Lions to some of their most successful seasons in program history, including earning the IRA National Championship and team points championship in 2014, a first for Columbia lightweight rowing.

Prior to his time at Columbia, Foglia spent two years as the assistant coach and men’s recruiting coordinator for Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Highlights included a second-place finish in the men’s varsity 8+ at the 2012 ECAC Regatta, a NERC Championship in the men’s novice 4+ in 2013 and two NCAA runner-up finishes. Foglia’s impact on the recruiting side was seen immediately as he more than doubled the size of the men’s team by bringing in two of the largest and most-talented recruiting classes in program history.

Foglia also spent eight years on the coaching staff of the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team, as well as two years as the head novice coach at Three Rivers Rowing. In the summer of 2021, he led USRowing's Men's U23 National Team Selection Camp. A member of the inaugural Joy of Sculling Apprenticeship program, Foglia began his coaching career at Fox Chapel High School in 2005 as the men’s varsity coach.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Foglia is a 2009 graduate of Duquesne University with a degree in education.