Azusa Pacific University Athletics

Cory Harkey brings a wealth of both collegiate and professional experience to the tight end position in the Azusa Pacific offense.

Harkey was born in Illinois, but played his high school football in the Inland Empire at Chino Hills High School.  He spent four seasons playing for the Huskies under head coach Terry Roche, playing on both sides of the ball as a tight end and defensive lineman and serving three years as a captain.  He was a two-sport athlete at Chino Hills, also playing center for the basketball team.

After graduating from Chino Hills in 2008, Harkey went to college at UCLA, playing four seasons under Rick Neuheisel.  In his four seasons with the Bruins, Harkey caught 28 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns and got to play in the first ever Pac-12 conference title game.

Harkey graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in History, but was able to keep his football career going, signing as an undrafted free agent with the St. Louis Rams.  He was placed on the practice squad initially, but would be brought onto the active roster in late November of 2012 and would go on to play 64 games for the Rams over the next five seasons.  He caught his first career touchdown pass in a win at Houston on October 13, 2013, and had a career day late in the season in a home win against New Orleans with three catches for 29 yards and a touchdown.  In all, Harkey caught 27 passes, including three touchdowns, during his NFL career.

Harkey will be tasked with coaching the tight end group at Azusa Pacific, which this season is led by first-team all-GNAC selection Lucas Widmer. 

Coaching sports runs in the Harkey family, as Cory’s father, Mike, is a bullpen coach for the New York Yankees.  Cory has one brother and one sister.  He and his wife, Bianca, live in Riverside with their child, DJ (3).