Franco Bari '98, M'10 was named Director of Intercollegiate Athletics in September of 2024.
Bari became AD after serving as Associate Athletic Director for Operations and External Relations since 2021. In that role, Bari was responsible for managing all aspects of the athletic facilities for the department's 35 sports including facility upgrades, maintenance, building access, scheduling, rentals and supervision. In addition, Bari also coordinated the Student-Athlete Development Program and Corporate Partnerships.
Prior to his most recent stint at St. Lawrence, Bari was hired as Director of Athletics at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota in August of 2019. During his tenure at St. Scholastica, Bari faced the abrupt end to his first year at the helm in 2019-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled the St. Scholastica spring sport season in March. He then guided the athletic department and assisted in the institution in getting CSS athletics back up and running in January of this year.
The 2021 spring semester saw 19 of St. Scholastica's 22 intercollegiate teams compete with the Saints capturing nine conference regular season or tournament championships. The Saints also captured back-to-back Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Jerome Kruse All-Sports Trophies in 2020 and 2021 and a record number 418 student-athletes earned Academic All-Conference honors.
Bari also oversaw the assessment of switching conference affiliations for the first time since the mid-1990s as St. Scholastica will join the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) this fall. Off the field, Bari spearheaded the Student-Athlete Development Program to enhance the holistic student-athlete experience at The College of St. Scholastica. The athletic department also became just the third Minnesota institution to be accepted into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. CSS Athletics welcomed its first class in April with 59 student-athletes inducted.
Bari headed to St. Scholastica after his first stint at St. Lawrence from 2008-2019, where he previously served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Game Management and also completed 10 seasons as the head women's soccer coach. Coach Bari accumulated a record of 100-55-22 in his years at St. Lawrence University with an overall college coaching record of 168-108-30. He guided the Saints to five Liberty League Tournament appearances and in 2015 he led the team to their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1989. Bari developed over 100 Liberty League All-Academic selections along with over 50 All-Conference and 17 All-Region honorees. In 2014 and 2015, the team was awarded the NSCAA “Team Ethics Award” for their outstanding sportsmanship.
A four-year starter for the Saints' men's soccer team, Bari was the Empire Athletic Association Rookie of the Year in 1994, was a four-time first team all-conference selection and a four-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America all-region selection. A two-year captain, Bari helped the Saints earn NCAA tournament appearances in 1996 and 1997. As a senior, he earned Conference Player of the Year honors and was an NSCAA All-America selection.
Prior to joining the St. Lawrence staff, Bari had a three-year professional playing career and began his coaching profession as an assistant coach at Arizona State University. He then coached at Elmira College and Greensboro College and initiated the student-athlete development program at both institutions.
Bari is married to Associate Head Women's Hockey Coach, Mare MacDougall Bari. They reside in Canton with their dog, Gordie Howe.
