Desiree Harris

Position:
Guard
Height:
5-8
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Oakland, Calif.
High School:
St. Joseph Notre Dame

Desiree Harris is a smart, athletic combo guard who can get to the rim off the dribble as well as hit the 3-pointer. She is a high-character student-athlete with a tremendous work ethic. The Colorado staff likes her ability to defend both guard positions. She had a chance to learn from an experienced group as a freshman and looks to increase her playing time.

2013-14 (Freshman): Harris appeared in 15 contests, averaging just a little under five minutes played per game as she was able to learn and grow behind a deep and experienced Colorado back court. She scored one field goal on the season, but it was a memorable one. She converted on a layup driving through the Arizona defense during Colorado’s rally from a 16-point deficit halftime to win in overtime. In that Arizona game she also played a career-high 13 minutes. Harris scored her first collegiate points by hitting a pair of free throws in her first Pac-12 Conference appearance at Washington State (1/19). The bulk of her games played came at the tail end of the season as she became more acclimated to the college game. Harris saw action in 10 of the final 12 contests including 4-of-5 postseason games. She registered a career-best three rebounds in the Postseason WNIT opener against TCU (3/19).

High School: Harris is a 2013 graduate of St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, Calif. She averaged 15 points and six rebounds as a senior, earning first team All-Tri-County Athletic League honors. A CIF All-North Coast Section Division V Second Team selection as a junior, Harris averaged 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.7 assists, helping the Pilots to a 24-11 record and the North Coast Section championship. She scored 35 points and had eight rebounds and four assists in a Division V NorCal quarterfinal game. Harris was a two-time All-Bay Shore Athletic League selection (St. Joseph Notre Dame switched leagues prior to her senior year), earning second team honors as a junior and first team accolades as a sophomore. She averaged 16 points and five rebounds as a sophomore, helping the Pilots to a 24-9 mark and the first of consecutive Division V North Coast Section titles.

Academics: Harris is a Political Science major at Colorado and made the Dean’s List for the 2013 fall semester. In the summer of 2014 she was an intern for Nancy Skinner, a member of the California State Assembly, representing California’s 15th State Assembly district. In high school, Harris ranked in the Top 10 of her class and was a four-year North Coast Section Scholar-Athlete. As a senior she received recognition for Outstanding Achievement in AP Government , and as a sophomore she was commended with the CIF’s “Pursuing Victory With Honor” character award.

Personal: Born Desiree Raylene Harris on September 9, 1995, in Hayward, Calif., she is the daughter of Gregory Harris and Shirley Tucker-Harris. She has one younger brother, Kevin, who is a junior in high school and plays basketball. Harris lists the biggest moment of her high school career as National Signing Day when she signed with Colorado at a ceremony in front of her family, friends, teachers, coaches and the principal. She enjoys reading, playing video games and creating videos and slideshows. Harris spent two years as the layout editor and graphic designer for her school’s literary magazine, PRISMS. Last year some of her poems were published in PRISMS, making her a member of the Star Society of Creative Writers and one of her poems won second place in a competition.