Bryan Harkin Hometown: Derry, Northern Ireland Last College: Fairfield '02 Position: Volunteer Assistant Coach

Former Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standout and current Crystal Palace Baltimore F.C. player Bryan Harkin will serve as a volunteer assistant coach at Loyola this year.

Harkin was a standout as an undergraduate at Fairfield University from 1999-2002, earning All-MAAC honors in 2001 and 2002 and All-North-Atlantic Region laurels in 2002 from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

" We are very pleased that Bryan Harkin will be joining our coaching staff," Mettrick said. "I have always considered Bryan to be a very good player and I feel that our players will benefit from his experience and his professional approach to the game."

The Derry, Northern Ireland, native then went on to play for the Cape Cod Crusaders in the USL's Premier Development League, helping the side win the 2002 national title.

Harkin ventured from New England to the Mid-Atlantic area and became an assistant women's soccer coach at Mount St. Mary's University for three seasons.

As a player, Harkin continued his professional career as a member of the Crystal Palace Baltimore F.C. He has been a mainstay in the midfield for the Eagles, making 48 appearances in USL Second Division and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches since 2007.

Harkin earned his bachelor's degree from Fairfield and a master's at Mount St. Mary's.