Coaching Staff

Peter Steenstra (Hobart ’96) Head Men’s and Women’s Rowing Coach

Peter Steenstra office: (207) 786-6363 email:psteenst@bates.edu

Peter Steenstra was named head rowing coach at Bates in March 2009, after stints as assistant and interim head coach. In his first full year as head rowing coach at Bates, Steenstra led the women’s rowing team to second place at the 2009 NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing Championships, the highest team finish by any Bates team in an NCAA championship. The team matched that feat at the 2010 NCAA Championships, repeating as the national runner-up, then did it for the third year in a row in 2011, coming closer than ever to the team’s goal of an NCAA Championship. In the summer of 2009, Steenstra led the men’s rowing team on a trip to compete in the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta in Henley, England, after the men earned a No. 3 final Northeast regional ranking in the spring season.

Steenstra served as Bates’ assistant rowing coach during the 2007-08 academic year, then was named interim coach in July 2008. Steenstra helped coach both the Bobcat men and women to successful years while also acting as the programs’ recruiting coordinator. The women’s team finished fifth at the 2008 NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing Championships in their second straight appearance at nationals, while the men’s varsity eight ranked No. 5 in New England.

Under Steenstra’s leadership, both the men’s and women’s rowing programs have continued to flourish. The women’s first varsity eight finished second out of 32 boats at the Head of the Charles in the fall of 2008, and were ranked No. 3 in the Spring 2009 preseason College Rowing Coaches Association/USRowing preseason rankings.

Steenstra has vast experience in rowing, beginning with his career on the men’s varsity eight at Hobart College, where he graduated in 1996. Steenstra coached the men’s and women’s novice crews at Colby College for three years, then was the head coach of the men’s and women’s crew club at The Ohio State University from 1999 to 2006. Steenstra also coached at Cornell University, first as varsity assistant coach of the heavyweight men and then as the assistant women’s coach, while earning a master of science degree in sports management from Ithaca College.

Jesse Foglia (Duquesne University ’09)
Men’s Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator

Jesse Foglia office: (207) 576-8484 email: jfoglia@bates.edu

Jesse Foglia Enters his second year as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the men’s team here at Bates College. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge of the sport of rowing having coached at the High School, Club, and National Team levels.

Prior to Bates, Foglia served as the head novice coach for the Three Rivers Junior Rowing program as well as being the Operations Manager at the club. He is also active in coaching as part of the Junior National Team system, acting as head coach of  the Development and High Performance Camps over the past 4 years. Prior to his time with Three Rivers he served as the men’s head coach for Fox Chapel Crew, his high school alma mater, where he began rowing in 2001.

Foglia graduated from Duquesne University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He has completed Levels I, II and III of the USRowing Coaching Certification and continued education program.

Devin Fay (Ithaca College ’03)
Women’s Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator

Devin Fay office: (207) 576-7590 email: dfay@bates.edu

Devin Fay is in his first year with the Bates College rowing team, after an eventful summer during which he worked in Boston with the Senior Men’s Lightweight 8+ National Team, traveling as an assistant coach to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for the World Championships. Fay also coached sculling classes and private lessons at Community Rowing Inc. this past summer.

For the 2011-12 academic year, Fay was an assistant coach for the lightweight men’s crew at Cornell University. The majority of his time was spent with Cornell’s third varsity eight, which finished first at the 2012 Eastern Sprints Championship Regatta.  No stranger to the New England rowing scene, Fay was the varsity assistant coach at Smith College from 2009 to 2011, working with the second-, third- and fourth-varsity athletes. While coaching at Smith, he earned his Master of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Studies, graduating in 2011.

Prior to Smith College, Fay coached at various clubs since 2003, working with many different ability levels and spending time as: the head rowing coach for Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pa.; an assistant coach for Three Rivers Rowing Association in Pittsburgh, Pa.; an assistant coach at Saratoga Rowing Association in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and an assistant coach at Cascadilla Boat Club in Ithaca, N.Y.

Fay has attended the Joy of Sculling Coaches Conference four times and has also received his USRowing Level III certification. He is also a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.