![\"adellharris\"](\"http:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/adellharris.jpg\" "\\"adellharris\\"")
Adell Harris has been named the new women\u2019s basketball coach at Tusculum College announced Director of Athletics Frankie DeBusk at a press conference Tuesday afternoon (May 19) in the Niswonger Student Commons on the Greeneville, Tenn. campus.<\/p>\n
Harris, a native of High Point, N.C., comes to Tusculum after serving the last six seasons on the coaching staff at NCAA Division I UNC Asheville, including the past two years as associate head coach.\u00a0 As associate head coach, Harris was responsible for recruiting, pre and post-season conditioning, and opponent scouting. She worked with the UNCA guards both on and off the court with their skills and academic progress.<\/p>\n
Harris replaces Missy Tiber, who stepped down last month after four years at Tusculum to take a similar position at NCAA I Southern Illinois University.<\/p>\n
Harris helped guide UNC Asheville to four winning seasons, including a 21-12 record in the Bulldogs\u2019 2006-07 campaign, culminating in a Big South Conference Tournament title and a berth to the NCAA Tournament, both firsts in school history.\u00a0 The Bulldogs tied a school single-season record for most conference wins (9), while posting the program\u2019s first victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent (58-53 win at Wake Forest).<\/p>\n
In her first UNCA season, the Bulldogs posted a 19-9 record and finished second in the Big South Conference standings.\u00a0 UNCA\u2019s 19 victories were a 16-win improvement from a season before (3-25), earning the squad NCAA Most Improved Team in the Nation honors.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the search for a new coach began, we wanted to bring in a coach that could take our already successful women\u2019s program to new heights,\u201d said DeBusk.\u00a0 \u201cCoach Harris brings a passion for the game of basketball.\u00a0 She is a quality person that brings in high morals and character.\u00a0 She will work hard to graduate our players, but also make them understand the effort it takes to continue to be champions on the floor as well as in life.\u00a0 Her energy and enthusiasm will bleed over into our players and will make all Tusculum fans, alumni and our community proud. I am very, very excited that Adell has decided to become a member of the Pioneer Family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris has mentored nine All-Big South Conference honorees, including two Conference Freshmen of the Year, Brittany Hendley (2004) and Kyla Jones (2007).<\/p>\n
\u201cAdell has been a very loyal and hard working assistant for us for six years,\u201d said UNC Asheville head coach Betsy Blose. \u201cShe is ready to be a head coach. I am very happy for her. She has paid her dues and I know she will do a great job at Tusculum. We hate to see her go, but we wish her the very, very best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris played her collegiate career at Wake Forest University, where she was a four-year letterwinner for the Demon Deacons. During her senior campaign, she led Wake Forest with 108 assists and averaged 4.6 points per game, while also serving as team co-captain.\u00a0 She wrapped up her career 10th on Wake\u2019s all-time list with 241 career assists.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very grateful to Frankie DeBusk for trusting me to lead the Tusculum women’s basketball program,\u201d Harris said.\u00a0 \u201cI am both excited and anxious to serve Tusculum College, the Greeneville community and our student-athletes.\u00a0 My goal is to continue to build on what currently exists, one the top 25 programs in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am extremely thankful to Betsy Blose for being the first person to believe in my abilities as a collegiate coach\u201d added Harris.\u00a0 \u201cI am grateful for the opportunities that she has provided for me to grow professionally in her program.\u00a0 My time at UNC Asheville has prepared me tremendously for this opportunity and for that I am greatly appreciative to the entire UNCA athletics department.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris began her coaching career as an assistant coach at her prep alma mater T. Wingate Andrews High School in High Point during the 2002-03 campaign. She also served as head coach of the Piedmont X-Press AAU team from 1998-2003.\u00a0 Harris has worked with numerous clinics and camps throughout the region.<\/p>\n
The Tusculum women\u2019s basketball program has accounted for four consecutive winning seasons.\u00a0 The Pioneers have won back-to-back South Atlantic Conference titles and have made two straight trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament.<\/p>\n
Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Adell Harris has been named the new women\u2019s basketball coach at Tusculum College.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n