Harris Joins Women's Basketball Staff as Director of Operations
EUGENE, Ore. - Head women’s basketball coach Bev Smith announced the addition of Velaida C. Harris to the women’s basketball staff on Monday. Harris will join the staff as the Director of Basketball Operations, replacing Natasha Ruckwardt, who left the position after five years to devote more time to her family.
“We are excited and honored to add Velaida Harris to our basketball program,” Smith said. “As Natasha Ruckwardt leaves our basketball family to spend more time with her own family, we are very fortunate to have Velaida join our staff. She has tremendous experience on both the basketball and administrative side of the game and, thus, will be a very valuable asset to our program.”
Harris comes to the University of Oregon after serving as the Assistant Director of Youth Sports for the Lake Oswego School District the last three years. Harris oversaw all youth sport programs in the 13-school district and worked with high school club sports as well.
On the basketball court, Harris was also the head girl’s basketball coach at Lake Oswego from 2004-06. She directed the program to two state playoff berths and a fourth place finish at the OSAA State Championships during the 2006-06 season. In her two years at Lake Oswego, Harris complied a 40-15 (.727) record. She also coordinated camps, clinics and fundraising activities at Lake Oswego and directed the 32-team Nike-Laker Interstate Shootout Tournament.
Prior to her two-year stint at Lake Oswego, Harris coached at Lincoln Senior High School from 1997-2004, leading the program to six state playoff berths, three trips to the state championship tournament and three league titles. Harris totaled a 123-52 (.700) record in that time.
Harris has also worked as the Program Director and coach for the Portland Elite Basketball Organization for eight years, heading the selection and evaluation of players throughout Oregon and SW Washington. An overwhelming 80 percent of the seniors in the program went on to play college basketball.
On three separate occasions (2000, 2002, 2004), Harris was selected as one of 15 coaches across the nation to coach the top players in the nation invited to the Nike All-America Camp.
Harris was also the head assistant coach for the Portland Chinooks, a semi-professional men’s basketball team and has directed various camps and clinic across the country for professional women and NBA players.
Harris played collegiately at Portland State from 1989-1993.
“We are excited and honored to add Velaida Harris to our basketball program,” Smith said. “As Natasha Ruckwardt leaves our basketball family to spend more time with her own family, we are very fortunate to have Velaida join our staff. She has tremendous experience on both the basketball and administrative side of the game and, thus, will be a very valuable asset to our program.”
Harris comes to the University of Oregon after serving as the Assistant Director of Youth Sports for the Lake Oswego School District the last three years. Harris oversaw all youth sport programs in the 13-school district and worked with high school club sports as well.
On the basketball court, Harris was also the head girl’s basketball coach at Lake Oswego from 2004-06. She directed the program to two state playoff berths and a fourth place finish at the OSAA State Championships during the 2006-06 season. In her two years at Lake Oswego, Harris complied a 40-15 (.727) record. She also coordinated camps, clinics and fundraising activities at Lake Oswego and directed the 32-team Nike-Laker Interstate Shootout Tournament.
Prior to her two-year stint at Lake Oswego, Harris coached at Lincoln Senior High School from 1997-2004, leading the program to six state playoff berths, three trips to the state championship tournament and three league titles. Harris totaled a 123-52 (.700) record in that time.
Harris has also worked as the Program Director and coach for the Portland Elite Basketball Organization for eight years, heading the selection and evaluation of players throughout Oregon and SW Washington. An overwhelming 80 percent of the seniors in the program went on to play college basketball.
On three separate occasions (2000, 2002, 2004), Harris was selected as one of 15 coaches across the nation to coach the top players in the nation invited to the Nike All-America Camp.
Harris was also the head assistant coach for the Portland Chinooks, a semi-professional men’s basketball team and has directed various camps and clinic across the country for professional women and NBA players.
Harris played collegiately at Portland State from 1989-1993.
