Joe Villapiano, Harvard’s recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach, is in his ninth season as a member of the Crimson coaching staff in 2013.

• Joe Villapiano Photos

Villapiano recruits the western section of the United States, including California and Arizona. He returned to coaching the wide receivers in 2012 after spending the past four years with the running backs. He has served previous stints coaching the wide receivers and the defensive backs.

In 2012, Villapiano’s receiving corps contributed to a passing attack that ranked fourth nationally in passing efficiency (157.25 rating) and 19th in yards per game (273.20). They also helped the Crimson rank third in total offense (487.5 yards per game) and fourth in scoring offense (39.4).

From 2008 to ’11, Villapiano coached the team's running backs, including Ivy League player of the year Gino Gordon ’11 in 2010. He also coached Ivy Rookie of the Year Treavor Scales ’13 in 2009. Gordon and Scales each earned three All-Ivy honors under Villapiano, and Scales claimed his fourth All-Ivy nod in 2012.

Villapiano coached the Crimson defensive backs in 2006 to ’08. All four of Harvard's defensive backs were named All-Ivy League in 2007, with three of them, Steven Williams ’08, Andrew Berry ’09 and Doug Hewlett ’08, earning first-team status. In 2008, three Crimson defensive backs earned all-league accolades, while cornerback Matthew Hanson earned selection as Ivy Rookie of the Year.

Williams would set his name apart as Harvard's all-time interceptions leader. His eight picks in 2007 tied a single-season record for the Crimson and gave him sole possession of first place on the all-time list with 16. Named first team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association, Williams went on to represent his home state in the Texas versus The Nation All-Star game in El Paso, Texas.

Berry meanwhile, capped an All-America career by twice being named an Academic All-American while also earning the FCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year award as a senior and graduating with two degrees in just four years.

Villapiano came to Cambridge in 2005 after spending two years on the staff at the University of Connecticut, where he coordinated the offensive scout team and analyzed game video of opponents' offenses.

Villapiano joined the staff at Connecticut following his four-year playing career in Storrs. He caught five passes for 47 yards in his career and holds the distinction of having scored the final Connecticut touchdown in Memorial Stadium, the team's former home facility.

He earned the team's Student-Athlete Award as a senior.

Villapiano earned a bachelor's degree in math education from Connecticut in 2003 and added a master's degree in education in 2005. His uncle, Phil, was a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker with the Oakland Raiders and was a member of Oakland's Super Bowl XI championship team.

In addition to his work with the Crimson football program, Villapiano and his former high school teammates are active in the formation of a company called iB-LIEVE, which is designed to empower individuals and teams using belief, positive attitude and positive action.