Bio

RJ Barnard is the head baseball coach at Penn State Altoona.

Barnard became the second head coach of the Lions baseball program in December 2016, when he was named the team's interim head coach. In August 2017, Barnard was hired as a full-time member of the Penn State Altoona Athletics department. In addition to his coaching duties, he also serves as the Equipment Manager for Athletics.

Prior to taking over the program, Barnard was closely involved with Penn State Altoona baseball for several years. From 2006-2009, he was a four-year starter for the Lions under former head coach Joe Piotti. He joined the team's coaching staff in September 2014 as an assistant, coaching in that position for two years.

Barnard, a native of Hollidaysburg and graduate of Hollidaysburg Area High School, started all 167 games during his collegiate career. He still sits near the top of many all-time records for the Penn State Altoona baseball program, including being ranked second in games played and started (167), runs scored (134), stolen bases (50), and assists (329) and ranking third in at-bats (563), hits (197), walks (67), and triples (8). During his senior campaign in 2009, Barnard helped the Lions win their first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III South Region Championship.

After graduating from Penn State Altoona in 2010, Barnard began coaching travel baseball for Flood City Elite, a program which competes against teams from up and down the east coast. After four years with Flood City Elite, he was hired as the assistant baseball coach at Penn State Altoona.