2013 14 tennessee basketball record book

Page 46

STAFF

MARCO

HARRIS

DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS 3rd Season at Tennessee Southwestern Oklahoma State, 1994 Director of Basketball Operations Marco Harris joined the Tennessee staff in June 2011 and now enters his third season on Rocky Top. He previously held the title of student-athlete welfare coordinator for two years before being promoted in July 2013. Harris’ relationship with Vols head coach Cuonzo Martin dates back more than 30 years, as both hail from East St. Louis, Ill. Harris began his college career as a baseball player at Southern Illinois University but transferred to Southwestern Oklahoma State to play basketball after one season on the diamond in Carbondale. He developed into the starting point guard at SWOSU from 1992-94 and also served as a team captain. Harris oversees team administrative responsibilities, student staff and is responsible for budgetary oversight while working closely with senior athletic administration. During his tenure as student-athlete welfare coordinator, Harris worked with Tennessee’s basketball student-athletes to ensure they performed at the highest level on the court, in the classroom and as members of the community. He functioned as the program’s liaison to the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center as well as the housing, admissions and financial aid offices. In the spring of 2013, basketball’s 2.63 team GPA was the program’s highest since the data started being tracked in 2003. In his first season with the Vols, Harris’ efforts resulted

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in the team winning UT’s men’s Community Outreach Team of the Year Award. Additionally, two Vols were named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll, and the team posted its highest combined Fall GPA in five years. Over the past decade, Harris has enjoyed success both as a private business owner and as a high school and AAU basketball coach. He has owned and operated a Subway Restaurant in Sand Springs, Okla., since 1999. He also has held various teaching, coaching and athletic administration positions during that time. His most recent coaching position was at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa. As the assistant boys’ varsity coach in 2010, Harris helped guide the Hornets to the Oklahoma Class 5A state championship. Harris took over as interim varsity head coach from January to March of 2011 and led the program to a second consecutive OSSAA state title. The Hornets finished the 2011 season with a perfect 21-0 record — despite not playing a single game in its home gym due to construction — and a 25-game win streak dating to the 2010 campaign. Harris received an associate’s degree in Business management from Southwestern Illinois College in 1992 before going on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Business management at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1994. Harris is married to the former Ramona Knight, of Frogville, Okla.

TENNESSEE MEN’S BASKETBALL RECORD BOOK » 2013-14


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