James Baker ’20 was aware of Denison’s reputation as a national swimming and diving powerhouse when he chose to attend the university. But it was a fledgling academic program that sealed his decision.
“I committed to Denison on the promise of HESS,” said Baker of the health, exercise, and sport studies department, which began offering classes in 2016.
His commitment helped produce a gold medal-winning performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Baker has been working for an Australian sports institute while pursuing a doctorate in biomechanics at the University of Western Australia. With the world watching, one of his athletes, Nina Kennedy, struck gold in the women’s pole vault. Kurtis Marschall, who also works with Baker, finished sixth in the men’s pole vault.
“James wants to be on the international stage working with the best athletes,” said HESS associate professor Eric Winters. “He achieved his dreams early in his career.”
While at Denison, Baker was part of back-to-back NCAA men’s swimming and diving championship teams (2018-19). The Honeoye Falls, New York native takes as much pride in adding to the burgeoning legacy of HESS.
Baker, a President’s Medalist, said his liberal arts education provided the broad-based foundation for his career in sports science. He spent two summers on The Hill working with Winters, professor Steven Doty, and associate professor Melanie Lott — both of the physics and astronomy department — on a project that played a vital role in Baker landing his current position at the Western Australian Institute of Sport in Perth.
James Baker spent two summers on campus participating in a biomechanical study of youth baseball players throwing pitches. That work helped him land the job he has now with the Western Australian Institute of Sport.
Baker participated in a biomechanical study of youth baseball players throwing pitches using sophisticated camera technology — making him an ideal candidate to work as a biomechanist at the sports institute affiliated with the University of Western Australia.
“It’s a testament to Denison that coming out of an undergraduate school, he had the skills, knowledge, and experience to step into an important role,” Winters said.
Since arriving at the institute, Baker has worked exclusively with Australia’s top pole vaulters. He stayed up late to see Kennedy win gold in the Olympic final. A few hours later, he was back at the institute — bleary-eyed but proud.