Valene Harris (2008) - Athletics Hall of Fame - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Valene Harris

Induction:
2008

Basketball 1988-90, Assistant Coach 1991-95
Valene Harris came to came to FAU as a junior transfer and was in the first class of second-year Women's Basketball Head Coach Wayne Allen in 1988. Harris, a team MVP, made an immediate impact in women's basketball leading the Owls to a 21-8 season in 1988-89 earning Kodak All-District V honors and the program's first NCAA postseason appearance. During Harris' senior year in 1989-90, the Owls posted a 22-7 mark and returned to the NCAA Tournament. In just two years, Harris tallied 1,176 points averaging 20.3 a game, and became the first male or female to score 1,000 points for FAU basketball and have her game jersey (No. 25) retired. Harris is currently listed among the career leaders in points scored in a season, points scored in a career, field goals in a season, field goals in a career, steals in a season, steals in a career and rebounds in a season. Harris graduated and quickly joined the basketball staff as an assistant, a post she served in for more than six seasons. She also served as the FAU's head volleyball coach in 1994. Following FAU, Harris coached at Delaware State University, where she became heavily involved in community service work, and she now devotes much of her time to this work. Harris was a 2007 recipient of the National Child Labor Community Lewis Hine Award, and is the CEO/founder of Teens In Perspective, Inc., a leadership development program for teen girls. Harris received two bachelor degrees from FAU and two master's degrees one from DSU and the other from Bryn Mawr College.