Tori Harrison
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Tori Elaine Harrison, who twice led Louisiana Tech University to the Women’s Basketball Final Four as a player, and helped both George Washington University and Clemson University to NCAA Tournament appearances as an assistant coach, returns for her third season as the Rider University head coach.
“We are all extremely pleased to have Tori Harrison as the head coach of Rider University’s women’s basketball team,” said Rider Director of Athletics, Don Harnum. “Tori brought several very successful experiences to Rider, as a player, head coach and assistant coach and I have every reason to believe that her presence will have a positive impact on Rider University and our women’s basketball program.”
“I am so excited about this season,” said Harrison, who led the Broncs to their winningest season since 1999-2000, compiled the most MAAC wins since 2001-2002, and helped the team win its first MAAC tournament game since 2000-2001. “My first season at Rider was full of challenges and successes. We can win here at Rider. I believe the community, the players and the staff are ready.”
The assistant coach at George Washington from 1999 to 2004, Harrison helped GW win the Atlantic 10 Title in 2003 and take part in four NCAA tournaments. Also an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota and at Clemson University, Harrison was the head coach at Coppin State from 1992-1997. At Coppin she was the MEAC Coach of the Year in 1993, taking a 6-20 team and winning 22 games. She finished at Coppin with a 61-77 record and also served as the senior woman administrator at Coppin.
A native of Baltimore, MD, Harrison was a member of the coaching staff for the USA Basketball squad that competed in the 1997 Jones Cup competition in Taiwan. She also served as an assistant with Gary Blair (Arkansas) under head coach Jane Albright-Dieterle (Wisconsin).
Prior to her stint at Coppin State, Harrison was an assistant coach at Clemson (1991-92), Wake Forest (1990-91 and 1987-88) and Alabama (1988-89).
Harrison earned national recognition at Towson Catholic High School and was named a Parade All-American in 1983. From there she went on to a successful four-year career at Louisiana Tech, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1987. The captain of the Lady Techsters as a junior and senior, the 6-4 center was the team’s MVP in 1985, 1986 and 1987. Louisiana Tech appeared in the NCAA Tournament Final Four during Harrison’s freshman season in 1984, and the Lady Techsters’ were the national runner-up in 1987 when Tennessee claimed its first national title. Harrison was named the Mideast Region MVP and was named to the All-Final Four team. As a senior, Harrison was named the state of Louisiana’s Female Athlete of the Year.
Harrison scored 1,868 career points and pulled down 1,020 career rebounds at Louisiana Tech. Her defense was as solid as her offense and she collected a Louisiana Tech record 341 career blocks. She still holds the school record for blocks in a game (9) and in a season (103, 1986).
Harrison was recently inducted into the Towson Catholic Hall of Fame.
Her daughter Lauren is a senior honor student at Blake High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.
