At Brunswick, James Tormey rowed varsity crew for three years. He also played varsity basketball and served as team captain during his senior year. He was twice an All-League selection in basketball and his team won its league three years in a row. His crew team won New Jersey State Championships in 2006. James' high school teammate, George Moran, also rows for Yale's heavyweight crew.

At Yale, James is a sophomore in Saybrook College. He is a History major and hopes to go into finance. He moves boats and lives the dream.