Johnnie Harris just makes sense for Vic Schaefer, Texas

There might not be a more qualified assistant coach out there than Johnnie Harris. Oddly enough, there might not be a better fit for Texas Women’s basketball than Harris, either.

Back in 2003, Vic Schaefer left Arkansas to become an assistant to Gary Blair over at Texas A&M. Arkansas had just finished a 22-11 season and was looking for an assistant coach who would help take the Razorbacks to the next level. After a great deal of searching, the Razorbacks hired NC State’s 29-year-old dynamic recruiter Johnnie Harris. Harris, then coaching under Hall of Famer Kay Yoy, had already made quite the name for herself at NC State. Harris played a major role in recruiting future WNBA player Tiffany Stansbury and the No. 1 overall recruit in Gillian Goring. After Harris joined Arkansas, the Razorbacks’ recruiting skyrocketed, giving the them multiple top recruiting classes.

After watching the success Harris was having in recruiting, a national title contender came calling. Gary Blair and Vic Schaefer added Harris to the staff. That same year, they went to the Elite Eight. She recruited a Top 10 recruiting class three of the five years she spent at Texas A&M.

In 2012, Schaefer accepted the job in Starkville, Mississippi. There was no doubt who he was calling to add to his staff.

In their time together in Starkville, Harris inked 14 ESPN Top 100 players. She also brought in several high-profile transfers such as Anriel Howard (Texas A&M), Roshunda Johnson (Oklahoma State), and Andra Espinoza-Hunter (UConn). Her role on the court consisted of working with the F/C positions. She helped develop two WNBA Top 10 selections in Victoria Vivians and Teaira McCowan. McCowan broke the career rebounding record for the NCAA tournament, the SEC, and finished second in NCAA history under the mentoring of Harris.

With incredible talent in 6’5’ F/C Charli Collier, Harris would be crucial in helping further develop another double-double machine. Vic Schaefer wants to win championship here and Johnnie Harris will get him the players to do it. There are few better recruiters in all the sport and with the Texas resources at her disposal, this would be a team to beat for a long time.