CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – With under four weeks until the official kickoff of the 2021 season, Josh Shapiro, The Virginia B. and James O. Welch, Jr. '52 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Soccer, has added Bryan Harkin as an assistant coach. 
 
"We're really excited to add Bryan Harkin to our staff for this upcoming season," said Shapiro. "He has a wealth of coaching and playing experience and brings incredible energy, passion and experience to our daily environment. He was integral as an assistant coach, pushing the Tufts program to the top levels of Division III.  He is an excellent on field coach, terrific evaluator, and a dynamic presence and connector in a team environment. I believe our student-athletes are going to really enjoy working with him."
 
Harkin has spent the last four seasons as the head coach of the Emerson men's program with a prior stint as Shapiro's assistant at Tufts. While with Shapiro and the Jumbos, he had a hand in the program's first ever DIII National title in 2014, a Sweet Sixteen bid in 2015 and the program's second national championship in 2016. 
 
"I am very grateful for the opportunity to work together again with Josh, Jordie and the rest of his coaching staff," said Harkin. "I am pumped to be involved with a program with so much history and hopefully I can find ways to add value and help the group achieve some of the ambitious goals Coach Shapiro has set."
 
The Derry, Northern Ireland native first came to the US in 1999 when he accepted an offer to play at Fairfield University, where he contributed to a conference championship and regular appearances in the national top-25 ranking. In 2001 and 2002 he earned All-Conference honors and was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Region Team in 2002.
 
Prior to his time at Fairfield, Harkin played with Liverpool FC youth & reserves while representing Northern Ireland at various age groups. 
 
Harkin began his post-college career with the Cape Cod Crusaders in the USL's Premier Development League, helping the team to the 2002 national title. He continued his playing career with Crystal Palace Baltimore FC, making 48 appearances in USL Second Division and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup during the 2000s. 
 
While in Baltimore, Harkin was a member of Loyola University's coaching staff, helping the Greyhounds to a conference title and NCAA College Cup bid in 2009 and a league title in 2012. He also coached the U-16 Olympic Development Program (ODP) to the national championship game in 2014 and continues to work with ODP serving as the Head Coach for East Region U17s squad. 
 
Harkin has been involved with US Soccer since 2015 working as a Talent ID scout in Northeast helping identify players for the youth national teams.
 
Harkin graduated from Fairfield University and earned his MBA in Marketing at Mount St. Mary's University.