Harris to lead Alcorn State Volleyball and Softball
SWAC.org
Alcorn State University Department of Athletics has announced Jessica Harris as the new head coach for its softball and volleyball programs. The University made the announcement prior to the start of the 2013 softball season.
Harris led ALCN to a 12-39 (5-12 SWAC) record after being hired weeks before the start of the 2013 season. She will now take the helm of a Lady Braves volleyball team that ended the 2012 campaign 1-28 (0-8) but return five starters.
She becomes the second coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference to manage both sports in recent years. In addition to senior woman administrator, Alabama A&M's Nedra Brown served as both the softball and volleyball head coach at AAMU for five seasons. Brown relinquished her softball and SWA duties in June 2013 to concentrate on volleyball.
Harris arrives after spending two years as the softball head coach at Spelman College. While at Spelman, her teams earned the highest team GPA award with an average of 3.4 in her first year and 3.5 at the end of the second season. She completed her two-year stint with the Jaguars with a 5-51 overall record including a 2-36 record in the Great South Athletic Conference.
She started her coaching career in 2009 as a student assistant coach at Miles College under the direction of Patrick Peasant.
She helped guide the team to a 24-6 record during the 2010 season. Harris assisted the program with recruiting, talent evaluation, scheduling, and the development of its student-athletes.
Harris' playing career began at Bishop State Community College. Harris completed her undergraduate and playing career at Miles College where she led her team to two conference titles in 2007 and 2008. She also received numerous academic awards while maintaining a 3.92 GPA. In 2010, Harris received her Master's Degree in Teaching with a concentration in Technology. She is currently working on a second Master's Degree in Special Education.
Harris is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was born in San Diego, Calif. before moving to Marietta, Ga. where she graduated from Osborne High School in 2004.