UMaine's Joe Harasymiak is a finalist the National Coach of the Year Award. It is called the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, named after the legendary Grambling University coach.

Harasymiak is in his third season at UMaine and he guided a team that was picked to finish 8th in the preseason poll to the CAA championship and a #7 seed in the NCAA playoffs.

He is the only CAA coach on the list of 15 finalists. The winner is announced in Texas during the FCS Championship weekend in January.

No UMaine coach has won the Eddie Robinson Award in its 31 year history.

The 15 Eddie Robinson Award finalists for 2018 are...

> Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State - The Owls' fourth-year program swept their way to a second straight Big South title and finished the regular season with a 10-game winning streak and the No. 2 national ranking. Record: 10-1, 5-0 Big South.

> Joe Harasymiak, Maine - Despite playing only four home games this season, the Black Bears won an outright CAA Football title and gained their third all-time FBS win (Western Kentucky). Record: 8-3, 7-1 CAA.

> Dan Hawkins, UC Davis - With their best Division I season, the Aggies earned a share of the Big Sky title, beat an FBS opponent (San Jose State) and surged to as high as No. 4 nationally. Record: 9-2, 7-1 Big Sky.

> Roger Hughes, Stetson - After finishing 2-9 a year ago, the Hatters were the second most-improved FCS team in the regular season. Their 8-2 record (plus-7 from last year) was their first winning mark since returning to football in 2013. Record: 8-2, 6-2 Pioneer.

> Dan Hunt, Colgate - While winning their first nine games, the Patriot League champion Raiders allowed only 29 points, posting five shutouts to tie the FCS single-season record. They lost only to Army West Point. Record: 9-1, 6-0 Patriot.

> Chris Klieman, North Dakota State - With a perfect regular season, the Bison won a record eighth straight Missouri Valley Football Conference title and are the No. 1 playoff seed as they go after a record seventh FCS championship (Klieman has led three title seasons). Record: 11-0, 8-0 Missouri Valley.

> Dale Lindsey, San Diego - The Toreros went 8-0 while claiming their fifth straight Pioneer Football League title and own the longest home win streak (21) and conference win streak (29) in the FCS. Record: 9-2, 8-0 Pioneer.

> Curt Mallory, Indiana State - In Mallory's second season, the Sycamores overcame a rash of injuries with an FCS-high 7.5-win improvement from last year's 0-11 mark. Picked last in the Missouri Valley Football Conference's preseason poll, they tied for third. Record: 7-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley.

> Tom Matukewicz, Southeast Missouri - The Redhawks ended Jacksonville State's 36-game Ohio Valley Conference winning streak and posted their first winning record and earned their first playoff bid since 2010. Record: 8-3, 6-2 Ohio Valley.

> Fred McNair, Alcorn State - McNair improved to 3-for-3 in winning SWAC East Division titles as the Braves because the first team to reach the conference championship game in five consecutive seasons. Record: 8-3, 6-1 SWAC.

> Eric Morris, UIW - In Morris' first season, the Cardinal flipped 1-10 overall and 1-7 Southland records last year to claim a share of their first conference championship and playoff bid. They also are nationally ranked for the first time. Record: 6-4, 6-2 Southland.

> Randy Sanders, ETSU - In their fourth season since returning to football and Sanders' first with the Bucs, they claimed a share of the Southern Conference title and a playoff bid. A year ago, they were 2-6 in conference games. Record: 8-3, 6-2 Southern.

> Jerry Schmitt, Duquesne - The Dukes earned a share of the Northeast Conference title and the automatic qualifier for the playoffs. Their only FCS loss was by one point just two days after a player's death, and they have won five straight games since then. Record: 8-3, 5-1 Northeast.

> Bob Surace, Princeton - The Tigers finished the season as 10-0 Ivy League champions, outscoring opponents by an average of 34 points per game. They claimed their first outright title since 1995 and first unbeaten record since 1964. Record: 10-0, 7-0 Ivy.

> Sam Washington, North Carolina A&T - The Aggies beat an FBS program (East Carolina), won an outright MEAC title and qualified for the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl in Washington's first season. Record: 9-2, 6-1 MEAC.

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