When Lu Harris was hired to coach Southern Miss’ first softball
team since the program was disbanded in 1992, there couldn’t have
been a more perfect fit for a coach with a team. Harris has become
known throughout the country as a coach who can take a program and
help it reach new heights. In a little over a year, Coach Harris has
taken the Southern Miss softball program competing at the NCAA Division
I level for the first time since 1992, and made it one of the top
10 collegiate fastpitch programs in the country. She guided the Lady
Eagles into the Women’s College World Series after an incredible run
through the NCAA South Regional (No. 5) with two wins over No. 12
Oregon State , a win over No. 7 LSU and a victory over No. 9 Oklahoma.
At the WCWS, Southern Miss dropped a pair of heart-breaking, 1-0 decisions
to Fresno State and DePaul. The Lady Eagles were in the USA Today/NFCA
Division I Softball Top 25 for 11 consecutive weeks during the 1999
campaign. Southern Miss finished the regular season ranked in the
top 10 nationally in hitting (2nd-.344), pitching (7th-1.19 ERA),
scoring (9th-6.70 runs per game) and won-loss percentage (2nd-48-6,
.889). USM was also 15th in the nation in team fielding percentage.
Harris’ team started their first year of softball off with a bang
as they defeated No. 15 Oklahoma State (9-2) and No. 25 Oregon (5-2).
Southern Miss became the first team in the history of the NCAA to
reach the Regional Tournament in their first year and the Women’s
College World Series. She also produced two Louisville Slugger/NFCA
First Team All-Americans in pitcher Courtney Blades, and shortstop
Amy Berman. The Hattiesburg, Southern Mississippi area also fell in
love with its team this season. In their only home dates of the season,
the Lady Eagles attracted 2,336 for their two home dates at the Southern
Miss Spring Classic.
No matter where Harris has coached, her programs have always been
winners. In her first head coaching job, at Nicholls State, Harris
was hired in late August of 1995 and received a team that had just
seven players on its roster. After spending two weeks recruiting,
Harris took a team loaded with inexperienced players and walk-ons
and ended up in the NCAA Regional Finals after defeating Minnesota
(2-1) and Nebraska (2-0). Harris’ squad lost in the NCAA Regional
Championship to USL, 2-1. In recognizing her incredible accomplishment,
Harris was named the NFCA/Speedline Southeast Region Coach of the
Year. She was also named the Southland Conference’s Coach of the Year.
The next year, Harris lead a team comprised of mainly freshmen and
sophomores to the NCAA Regionals again. Her two-year record at Nicholls
was 94-42. After the 1997 season was completed, Harris was asked to
coach the Orlando Wahoos of the Women’s Pro Fastpitch League. In the
league’s first year, Harris guided the Wahoos to a record of 60-13
and won the regular season and league championship. She was named
WPF’s Coach of the Year and was featured on ESPN in the league’s wrap-up
awards show.
Prior to becoming a head coach, Harris spent five years as an assistant
coach as well as recruiting coordinator for Western Illinois head
coach and former NFCA President Kathy Veroni at Western Illinois.
During her five years at WIU, the Westerwinds were 156-98. The program
captured the 1992 Gateway Conference Tournament Championship, then
its first season in the Mid-Continent Conference. in 1993, they won
both the league’s regular season and tournament titles. WIU also won
the Mid Continent Conference West Division championship in 1996 with
a 16-0 record. Harris was considered one of the most proficient shortstops
at Western Illinois, playing three seasons for the Westerwinds after
transferring form Mesa Junior College. The LaJolla, California native
graduated from WIU in 1989. Harris has also coached 12-under and 14-under
travelball teams for the McDonough County (IL) C.A.T.S. which qualified
for national tournaments.