Alumnus Ryan Carr, Ed.D., Advances Mental Performance Training for Women’s Basketball

Seton Hall University welcomed Ryan Carr, Ed.D. ’15, certified mental performance consultant, founder of Carr Driven Performance and a graduate of the M.A. in Psychological Studies, back to campus in July. Carr, who completed his master’s degree with concentration in Sport and Exercise, went on to earn his doctorate in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Western States. For the past four years, Carr has served as the Mental Performance Coach for Seton Hall’s women’s basketball, providing both team and individual mental performance training. During a recent visit to campus, he worked closely with student-athletes and the coaching staff on targeted mental performance strategies to strengthen team cohesion, support athlete development and enhance competitive readiness. Carr’s approach integrates evidence-based sport psychology with practical coaching techniques that athletes can apply in daily training and high-pressure game environments.

Carr’s expertise extends beyond Seton Hall. He also consults with athletic programs across the country and works with athletes at all levels in multiple sports. His national portfolio includes supporting The College of New Jersey’s wrestling program, as well as working with numerous individual youth, collegiate and professional athletes.

Key Focus Areas of Carr’s Mental Performance Training:

• Building confidence and resilient self-belief
• Developing routines for performance under pressure
• Enhancing focus, concentration and present-moment awareness
• Managing emotions, errors and adversity
• Goal setting, accountability and motivation
• Leadership and communication to strengthen team culture
• Facilitating confident return from injury
• Applying evidence-based mental skills to daily performance

Carr’s approach to mental performance training blends scientific research with applied coaching, helping athletes optimize performance while cultivating the mindset and habits necessary for sustained success. Seton Hall played a pivotal role in Carr’s professional development, providing a rigorous academic framework and opportunities to understand how sport psychology principles translate into real-world athletic environments. He credits the University community – from the coaching staff and administrators to the student-athletes – as a major driving force behind his continued commitment to Seton Hall athletics.

Looking ahead, Carr hopes to broaden his mental performance services across other Seton Hall teams, creating opportunities for more consistent and integrated support throughout the Athletics Department.

When asked what advice he would offer students interested in sport psychology careers, Carr emphasized the importance of hands-on experience.

“Get into the practical and applied side of the work as early as possible,” Carr said. “Volunteer, watch practices, spend time around teams, and learn directly from athletes and coaches. Start wherever you can, stay curious, and look for every opportunity to gain real-world experience.”

Sandra Lee, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Human Development, Media and Culture’s Department of Professional Psychology and Family Therapy, remembered working with Carr as a student."He was always willing to speak up in discussions, offer thoughtful insights and support his peers and colleagues,” she said. “Consistent with the core values of our program, his work emphasizes the wellness of the athlete as a whole person while simultaneously enhancing their performance.”

Thomas Massarelli, Ph.D., who also teaches in the department, noted Carr’s character and commitment to mentoring future professionals. “He is an exceptional professional,” Massarelli noted, “an outstanding representative in the field and a person of great integrity who consistently gives back to both his profession and the students of Seton Hall University.”

About the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media
Launched in summer 2023, Seton Hall’s College of Human Development, Culture, and Media embodies the University’s commitment to pedagogical innovation, intellectual ferment and community engagement. Uniting scholars and students from four dynamic departments — Communication, Media and the Arts; Education Leadership, Management and Policy; Educational Studies; and Professional Psychology and Family Therapy — the college is the new home of cutting-edge, transdisciplinary inquiry into the stickiest problems of our time. The faculty, staff and students of the college seek to improve the human condition by collaborating across distinct fields that uniquely complement one another, thereby preparing the next generation of dynamic leaders poised to tackle contemporary social challenges and opportunities. Expression underpins all facets of the integrated college’s portfolio — media as a form of education and artistic expression; teaching and learning as modes of creative expression; expression and expressibility as critical to counseling and therapeutic treatment; and self-expression as a vehicle of social agency.

Categories: Athletics, Education