March 2026 Spotlight: Dennis Barker

It is my great honor to present Dennis Barker as this month’s recipient of the Nova Classical Spotlight Award. This award was established to recognize individuals who exemplify Nova Classical Academy’s commitment to academic excellence, virtue, and a thriving school community. Through their outstanding dedication, they inspire those around them and contribute meaningfully to our pursuit of learning not for school, but for life.

Dennis Barker has been a foundational presence in Nova Classical Academy’s athletic program since 2014, when he was hired to establish our first-ever Varsity Cross Country team. He brought with him more than two decades of collegiate coaching experience from Augsburg College, a background that includes coaching multiple Olympians in Track and Field, and a deep connection to USA Track and Field. From the beginning, he did not simply build a program. He built a culture.

Under Coach Barker’s leadership, Nova’s Cross Country program has achieved remarkable athletic success. Since the Skyline Conference began in 2019, the men’s team has won every conference championship. He has shared his passion for the sport with the student-athletes he coaches, and many have gone on to compete at the collegiate level at places including Luther College, Carleton College, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has also helped students discover running as something they can carry with them long after their time at Nova, a lifelong pursuit and not just a season. Notably, he served as the head coach of Nova’s first-ever state championship team in both 2020 and 2021, a legacy that will endure in our school’s history. It’s a Great Day to Be a Knight!

Coach Barker serves as the head coach of both the boys and girls Cross Country programs and has been an assistant coach in Track and Field since 2015, but his impact on Nova extends far beyond that. He also volunteers as the varsity basketball shot clock operator. During the winter season, he offers free strength and conditioning sessions for any student interested in improving their fitness. These are not obligations. They are the choices of a person who is genuinely invested in the young people around him.

What defines Coach Barker is not only the championships or the accolades. It is the steady, purposeful way he develops student-athletes as competitors and as people. His contribution is measured not just in wins, but in the growth of individuals who leave Nova better prepared for whatever comes next. His fortitude is evident in the sustained excellence he has built over more than a decade. His wisdom shows in the way he mentors athletes long after their time at Nova. His justice is reflected in his willingness to invest in every student who walks through the door, whether or not they are a part of the program he leads.

On behalf of Nova Classical Academy, I am proud to recognize and celebrate Dennis Barker for his extraordinary contributions to our school. We are deeply grateful for the program he built, the athletes he has shaped, and the example he sets every day.

It’s a Great Day to Be a Knight

Dr. Brett Wedlund
Executive Director