Michiel Bartman enters his third season as head women's rowing coach in 2024-25. A three-time Olympic medalist as an athlete, he was named the second head coach in the history of the program in September 2022, succeeding Chris O'Brien.
In 2022-23, Bartman led the Rams to the number one spot in the East Region. Jefferson advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second straight year and placed sixth. The Rams made history at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta as both the Varsity Eight and Varsity Four picked up silver medals, marking the first time that the program earned multiple Dad Vail medals in one season. Bartman was chosen the CRCA East Region Coach of the Year and coached Lily Rodgers to a CRCA All-America First Team selection.
In his second season as the head coach, Bartman had the Rams progress in the season with first place victories in the Pair race at Head of the Schuylkill Regatta and Varsity 8 at Brigantine Invitational at Stockton.
Bartman brought his team back to it's postseason form as they took the number one spot in the East Region once again, making the NCAA Championships for the third time in four years. The Rams ended in sixth place, with Varsity 8 taking the Petitie Final for earn fifth. Jefferson secured silver in the V4 at the Dad Vail Regatta. Bartman earned his second CRCA East Region Coach of the Year award, his staff named CRCA East Region Staff of the Year, and coached Cecily Fritz to a CRCA All-America Second Team nomination.
Bartman came to the University after serving as an assistant coach at Temple University for three years. During Bartman’s stay at Temple, the Owls won four Dad Vail medals including a varsity eight bronze at the 2021 regatta, the first medal by the team’s top boat since 1999. In 2022, Temple claimed the Murphy Cup for the first time since 1995. The Owls placed fourth at the American Athletic Conference Championships in 2022 and fifth in 2021.
Bartman’s collegiate coaching experience also includes stints as the head men’s and women’s lightweight coach at Harvard University. From 2011-13, he led the women’s squad and guided the lightweight eight to first place at the Head of the Charles Regatta for the first time in program history. The Crimson also won an Eastern Sprints title and took second at the IRA National Championships.
Bartman switched to the men’s side at Harvard in 2013 and was at the helm for three seasons. The Crimson had top finishes of second at the Head of the Charles, fifth at the Eastern Sprints, and second at the IRA National Championships during his tenure.
Outside the collegiate ranks, Bartman was in charge of the program at Vesper Boat Club from 2005-11. Multiple Vesper boats qualified for the world championships with the women’s lightweight quad winning bronze. Bartman also served as a U.S. National Team coach. He was the Director of Rowing and coached the men’s team at Port Rowing in New York from 2016-19, winning multiple state titles and qualifying multiple boats for the Youth National Championships.
Bartman stepped into coaching after a successful career as an athlete. He was a longtime member of the Dutch National Team, helping lead the Netherlands to Olympic Gold in the men’s eight at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Bartman also earned silver in the men’s quadruple sculls at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and silver in the men’s eight at the 2004 Athens Games. In addition, he holds three world championships medals. Bartman served as the chairman for the Dutch National Olympic Athletes Committee from 2002-04.
Bartman earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in his native country.
