Barry Beal enters his third year as director of athletics at Penn State Berks in 2026-27 after beginning his tenure in August 2024.
As director of athletics, Beal oversees the college's varsity athletics program, club sports, intramurals and the Beaver Athletics and Wellness Center.
During his first two years leading the department, Beal has overseen significant growth across facilities, staffing, fundraising and competitive success. He secured the largest single philanthropic gift in Penn State Berks athletics history and has overseen capital improvements that include new fencing and pitch clocks at the baseball and softball complex, new Daktronics scoreboards and a video board in the Beaver Athletics and Wellness Center and upgraded athletics streaming technology through Hudl.
Beal also led the expansion of the department's varsity offerings with the addition of men's and women's indoor track & field, announced in June 2026 as the first sport expansion in Penn State Berks athletics history.
Beal reshaped the department's staffing structure, which now includes three assistant directors of athletics, along with hiring the department’s first-ever strength and conditioning coach and adding new standalone head coaching positions in men's soccer and women’s basketball.
On the field, Penn State Berks made one of the largest improvements in the United East Presidents' Cup standings in Beal’s first year, climbing from 14th place among 17 institutions in 2023-24 to eighth place in 2024-25. The department also celebrated the first United East postseason victory in Penn State Berks men's soccer history during the 2025 season.
Under Beal's leadership, Penn State Berks has expanded its commitment to the student-athlete experience by elevating its annual awards banquet at the Redner's Event Center, increasing community engagement through expanded facility rentals and partnerships, and continuing to enhance the overall experience for its student-athletes.
Beal serves on the Penn State Berks Administrative Council, Strategic Planning Committee, Advisory Board Student Affairs and Recruitment Committee, Homecoming Committee and Enrollment Management Committee.
Before arriving at Penn State Berks, Beal spent six years as assistant director of athletics for communications and game operations at The College of New Jersey. At TCNJ, Beal directed the department's sports communications, marketing and branding efforts while serving as sport administrator for football, baseball, and men's and women's tennis.
At TCNJ, Beal played a key role in numerous signature initiatives. He served as co-chair of the Athletics Hall of Fame Committee, was a member of the Homecoming and Athletics Golf Outing committees, spearheaded an annual baseball game at Trenton Thunder Ballpark that served as a student-athlete appreciation event, and helped develop the department's Hall of Champions exhibit celebrating national champions and All-Americans.
Prior to TCNJ, Beal served as sports information director at Albright College and held athletics communications positions at Saint Francis University (Pa.), Oregon State University and Frostburg State University.
A native of Dravosburg, Pa., Beal is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. He and his wife, the former Jena Marrinucci of Muhlenberg Twp., Pa., have two children, Santino ("Tino") and Giavana ("Gia"), and are expecting their third child in 2026.
