Don Harnum (Class of 1958) was a five sport athlete at Brewer, playing football (1,2,3,4), basketball (1,2,3,4), baseball (2,3), golf (4), and track (1). As an outstanding athlete, Harnum earned his orange B sweater his sophomore year lettering in football, basketball, and baseball. Harnum was an excellent offensive and defensive end on the football teams, and he was also a key player on the 1957 Brewer High School All State Championship Football Team. Harnum’s biggest thrills in football were beating Bangor his junior year (1956) 38-7 and his senior year (1957) 14-7. Harnum was also a star forward and captain (senior year) on the basketball team, averaging 14 points per game his sophomore year, and 17 points per game his junior and senior years. He led the 1957-1958 basketball team to the finals of the Eastern Maine Tournament with 15 wins and 7 loses. This was the first time Brewer had ever reached the finals. One of the highlights of Harnum’s career was a game against Old Town, with the game tied in overtime, Harnum fired a 35-foot shot from mid-court to beat Old Town 56 to 54!

Harnum was inspired by his basketball and football coach, Larry Mahaney, (Brewer Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee 2014) to attend the University of Maine to pursue a career in coaching. Thus, after high school, he attended the University of Maine where he continued his football and basketball career. Harnum was a starter at both offensive and defensive end on the football team and was named to the 2nd team All Yankee Conference his senior year. This team was undefeated at 8-0-1 and at that time had the best record in school history. Harnum wasn’t the only former Brewer athlete on that outstanding team; he was joined by former classmates Norris Nickerson (‘58) and Ed Kiley (‘58) as well as Bump Hadley (‘59), and Pud Robertson (’59). Harnum was also a starter on the University of Maine freshman basketball team where he established himself as a consistent shooter. Harnum scored 33 points in a game against Colby which was a huge accomplishment for a freshman. Harnum’s skills continued to develop and by his senior year, he was averaging 14 points per game for the varsity team. He became one of the basketball team’s high point scorers, with notable games against URI scoring 28 points, 27 points against Coast Guard, and 24 points against Boston University.

After graduating from the University of Maine in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science Degree, he earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Delaware in 1964. He then went on to serve two years in the United States Army where he earned an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant. He began coaching men’s freshman basketball and lacrosse at Delaware before being named the head men’s basketball coach at Susquehanna University in 1969. He then returned to Delaware as the head men’s basketball coach in1971. Following five seasons as the head coach of Delaware, Harnum returned to Susquehanna in 1976 as head coach for 12 more seasons before stepping down following the 1988-89 season with an overall 14-season record of 201-153. His teams won two conference championships and he was twice named conference Coach of the Year. He continued as the Susquehanna Athletic Director and coached golf for 22 years. He developed his golf teams into regional powers, winning conference championships 10 yearsin a row, including leading his team to seven NCAA appearances.

After 24 years, Harnum retired as the Susquehanna Athletic Director in 2003, but continued to coach golf until 2011. He has been inducted into the Susquehanna Athletic Hall of Fame as well as the Mid-Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame. Harnum’s college coaching and sports administration successes cover 50 years of accomplishments.

Don and his wife Jane currently reside in Pinehurst, NC and have six children: Amy, Austen, Erika, Don Jr., Lisa and Michael.

 

 

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