JAMES HARKEY
Been with SPIRE since June 2022
Hometown: Waterford, Virginia
Title: Director & Head Coach of Lacrosse
A Virginia native, James “JD” Harkey played midfield for the UMBC Retrievers from 2007-2011, learning the game under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coach Don Zimmerman. Harkey received the Retrievers’ 2010 Unsung Hero award after returning from ACL repair. He served as co-captain during the 2011 campaign with Jamie Kimbles, with whom he also shared the E. Richard Watts leadership award following that 2011 season.
After graduation from law school in 2014, Coach Harkey began coaching the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, first as Defensive Coordinator in spring 2015, then hired as Head Coach the following off-season by then President Colin Byrne. Harkey led South Carolina from unranked to a MCLA final-four finish in 2018 and MCLA national champions in 2019.
More of James Harkey’s accomplishments include:
- UMBC Men’s Lacrosse, player 2007-2011
- 2x America East Champion (’08 & ’09)
- 3x NCAA tournament participant
- 2010 Unsung Hero
- 2011 Co-captain
- 2011 E. Richard Watts Leadership award
- USC Men’s Lacrosse, coach 2014-2021
- 2018 SELC Coach of the Year
- 2019 SELC Champion
- 2019 Flip Naumburg MCLA Coach of the Year
- 2019 MCLA Champion
- Tutored 6 MCLA All-Americans, 23 SELC All-Conference players, 2 SELC Defensive Players of the Year, and one MCLA Player of the Year
- High School club lacrosse since 2008
- Camps/Clinics for all ages since 2006
- College (MCLA) at USC 2014-2021
- High School (MIAA) at Gertell Academy 2021-2022
James Harkey’s Education:
- BA History from University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2011
- JD from University of South Carolina School of Law in 2014
- Admission to SC Bar 2015
Back to Leadership
