QuinnBarham

Quinn Barham, who has more than a decade of Division I football athletic development experience, joins the Kentucky staff as assistant director of strength and performance.

Barham (pronounced “BEAR-um”) comes to Kentucky from Coastal Carolina, where he was the director of speed, strength and conditioning from 2023-25.  He had oversight of the strength and conditioning program for the entire athletic department, managing eight full-time coaches, working with 19 varsity sports and more than 400 student-athletes.  He also was responsible for instituting the Chanticleers’ first sports science program.

Barham had primary sport responsibility for football, helping Coastal advance to postseason action in all three seasons – the 2023 Hawaii Bowl, 2024 Myrtle Beach Bowl and the 2025 Independence Bowl.  He also guided the athletic development of the Chants’ volleyball team which won the Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament championships.

Barham was the associate director of football strength and conditioning at Ohio State from 2016-22. He was involved in all aspects of the teams’ development as the Buckeyes earn four College Football Player berths, four Big Ten Championships, seven consecutive bowl appearances (two Rose, two Fiesta, Cotton, Sugar and Peach) and an overall record of 78-11.

Barham spent the 2015 season as the assistant strength and conditioning coach at NC State, helping the Wolfpack advance to the Belk Bowl.  A year earlier, he had the same role at North Carolina, and the Tar Heels played in the Quick Lane Bowl.

Barham played his college football at Penn State from 2007-11. He was a two-year starter, and as a senior, served as team captain and was named honorable mention All-Big 10.  He also earned Academic All-Big 10 honors. The Nittany Lions totaled a 47-18 record, played in five bowl games and won a Big 10 title during his time on the field.

Barham graduated from PSU with a degree in kinesiology, adding a master’s in sport coaching at Ohio State.  His certifications include Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association; Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association; and USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach.

Barham’s engaging personality and in-depth approach to athletic development – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – make him well-respected among his players.

A native of Durham, N.C., Barham and his wife Chassidy have a daughter, Aria, and a son, Luke.