University of Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck announced today the hiring of Joe Harasymiak. The 32-year-old will join the Minnesota staff prior to the Quick Lane Bowl and will work on the defensive side of the ball.

Harasymiak comes to Minnesota from Maine, where he served as head coach since 2016. He guided the Black Bears to an overall record of 20-15 and a 15-9 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association.

This year, he led the Black Bears to a 10-4 overall record, a 7-1 conference mark and a CAA championship. This year, Maine advanced to its first Football Championship Subdivision national semifinal appearance in school history under his guidance.

Harasymiak has spent nearly his entire coaching career at Maine. He was a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach in 2011 and then coached the defensive backs from 2012-13. He was then promoted to defensive coordinator and coached the linebackers from 2014-15. Harasymiak was named interim head coach in November 2015 and then assumed head coaching duties in January 2016.

Prior to his time at Maine, he served as a graduate assistant coach with the wide receivers and quarterbacks at his alma mater, Springfield College. He was then an assistant coach at Maine Maritime Academy in 2008.

Harasymiak earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Springfield College in 2008 and palyed for the Pride from 2004-07. He served as team captain in 2007.

Harasymiak worked with Minnesota defensive coordinator Joe Rossi at Maine. Rossi was at Maine from 2007-11 and was the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach for the Bears from 2009-11.