Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

Jamie Francis was hired as Embry-RIddle's first Head Rowing Coach in the summer of 2016, a year prior to the start of the women's program on Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus.

In the program's first season of competition, Francis led the men's team to a state title as well as the overall men's and women's combined state title at the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. The Eagle men recorded 126 points to win the championship, while the team's combined (men's and women's) score of 142.5 points was just ahead of the University of Florida (136.5).

The women's team went on to take fifth place in its first-ever Sunshine State Conference Rowing Championship regatta.

In 2019, Francis led the Eagle men to a second-place finish and the women to a sixth-place result at the FIRA Championships, while the Blue and Gold took third in the combined (men's and women's) standings.

Embry-Riddle improved its finish at the SSC Championships in 2019, finishing fourth, just three points behind third-place Nova Southeastern and only five points back of runner-up Barry.

The 2019 season saw Kaya Treder become the first NCAA II All-American in program history. She was joined by Lauren Stollenwerk, Rebecca McBride, Rachel Hemsworth, and Kathryn Chilelli as Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Scholar-Athletes.

In 2020, Treder, Hemsworth, and McBride all repeated as CRCA Scholar-Athlete selections. Additionally, McBride, Alexandra Popielarz, and Bethany Thompson each were recognized as CRCA Pocock All-America nominees. Due to the shortened season in 2020, the CRCA did not award its usual All-America Awards.

The 2021 season saw Francis lead the men to a second-place showing at FIRA, while the women claimed their first-ever FIRA championship. The women's team also earned a second-place finish at the SSC Championships, the best in program history, which led to the school's first-ever appearance at the NCAA II Championships, where the Eagles took fourth place. Thompson (first team), Sofia Lorenzini (second team), and Megan Byrne (second team) all earned CRCA/Pocock All-America Honors, while Kathryn Chilelli became the program's first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-American. In addition, a total of 26 student-athletes received academic honors, including eight men being named IRCA Scholar Athletes and 18 women earning a place on the SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll.

Francis came to Embry-Riddle after serving as the interim head coach at NCAA II power Mercyhurst (Pa.) where he led both the Lakers' NCAA II Women's Rowing team and the Lightweight Men's Rowing squad. The Lakers most recently finished fourth at the 2016 NCAA Women's Rowing Championship Regatta while the eight won the Petite final. Under Francis, the Men's Lightweight Eight qualified for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship Regatta in 2016.
 
Francis was named Mercyhurst's Interim Head Coach in the summer of 2015 when Director of Rowing Adrian Spracklen stepped away to take time to pursue his Russian national team aspirations. Prior to serving as Interim Head Coach for the Lakers, Francis spent five seasons as Spracklen's assistant coach, helping lead Mercyhurst to a pair of runner-up finishes at the NCAA National Championship Regattas in 2011 and 2015, while qualifying for the National Championship Regatta all five years. Francis mentored eight Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-Americans as an assistant coach.
 
Francis spent two months last summer as a coach with the Steel City Rowing Club where he coached athletes participating in the United States Rowing Association Small Boat Camps, identifying and developing athletes in preparation for the United States Junior Rowing National Team.
 
Francis came to Mercyhurst after serving as the head coach of the Penn State Crew Club for four years (2006-10). He was responsible for all training aspects of the men's and women's squads and his efforts led to a Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year award and gold at the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championship in both the women's varsity pair and the men's varsity four.
 
While at Penn State, 29 of Francis' student-athletes were named All-ACRA Academic honorees, three were named ACRA All-Americans and five received Mid-Atlantic All-Region student-athletes.
 
Francis has continually been involved in coaching rowing since his graduation from the University of Central Florida in 2000, spending time as the Novice Boy's Coach at the Orlando Area Rowing Society (2004-06), the Head Crew Coach at Edgewater High School (2001-04) and the Head Coach of the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida (2002).
 
Francis holds a Level III plus Advanced Coaching Certification from the United States Rowing Association and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing from UCF and is working towards the completion of his Master's degree in Organizational Leadership, Sports Leadership from Mercyhurst.
 
Francis graduated from Lake Brantley High School and he and his wife Christine have four children, daughters Taylor, Alana and Natalie, and son Justin.