Jalen Hairston

Jalen Hairston joined the Black Bears in the spring of 2024 as the team's safeties coach and defensive pass game coordinator.

Hairston came to Maine with four years of assistant coaching experience with stops at Concord University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Charleston.

He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons at the University of Charleston as the team's defensive coordinator working with the linebackers in 2022 and the safeties in 2023. During his two-year stint in Charleston, Hairston's defense led the nation in defensive touchdowns (7) in 2023 and ranked 11th in turnovers gained in 2022 as he played a lead role in leading the program to its first MEC title in school history and first-ever playoff victory.

Prior to his time at Charleston, Hairston coached the linebackers and defensive line at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for one season. During the 2021 campaign, Hairston not only assisted with the defense but also coordinated the kickoff unit and assisted with the kick return team.

Hairston, who mentored the defensive backs at the University of Charleston in 2020, began his coaching career as the defensive backs graduate assistant at Concord University from Feb. 2020 through Aug. 2020.

During his career, Hairston has mentored 12 all-conference players and one co-defensive player of the year.

Hairston graduated from the University of Charleston in 2018 with a bachelor of arts in political science before earning his Masters in strategic leadership. Hairston was a four-year letterwinner for the football team while at Charleston.