Coach

Sam Baum

A Berkeley native, Baum returns to the West Coast after spending the last seven seasons as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for the Yale Men’s Heavyweight program. Baum coached alongside former Golden Bears’ head coach Steve Gladstone and helped the Eli varsity eight to two consecutive national titles, including the first in program history. During his time in New Haven, Yale snapped a 30-year drought and captured four consecutive EARC championships from 2015 to 2018. Baum also guided his third and fourth varsity eights to two Yale-Harvard victories, and gold, silver, and bronze finishes at the Eastern Sprints Regatta. As recruiting coordinator, Baum helped evaluate and attract top talent from across the globe to New Haven, Connecticut.

Prior to his time at Yale, Baum began his coaching career at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California, helping make marked improvements in his two years as head coach. 

A 2009 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Baum was named the team’s most valuable rower after stroking the Penn freshman eight that won the Eastern Sprints and took bronze at the 2006 IRA National Championship regatta. As an upperclassman, Baum stroked the Quakers’ varsity eight during several spring cup races.

No stranger to the Bay Area, Baum attended Berkeley High School and rowed for the Oakland Strokes, winning three state titles and placing second at the US Rowing Youth National Championships in the eight. Baum is a lifelong Cal fan having attended his first Cal basketball game at two years of age in the old Harmon Gym.