Coach David Harris has guided athletes to more than 200 All-America awards and 18 NCAA individual titles in his career as a track and field and cross country coach.
2010. In 2000, Harris was honored as the men’s cross country regional coach of the year.
Off the track and cross country course, Harris’ student-athletes also achieved at the highest
levels. His Hornet student-athletes claimed seven NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, and
three NCAA Woman-of-the-Year nominations. They also captured eight CoSIDA Academic
All-America awards.
Harris has served in numerous leadership roles within the USTFCCCA and has earned
two prestigious awards. He was named the 2001 USTCA Women’s NCAA Division II National
Outdoor Coach of the Year and was most recently awarded the Jimmy Carnes Distinguished
Service Award by the USTFCCCA.
He is the former Division II Executive Council Chairman and was the first non-Division
I President of the USTFCCCA, serving in that role from 2005 through 2006 and leading the
association through its reorganization in 2005.
Harris received his bachelor’s degree in physical education/social science and a master’s
degree in athletic administration from Truman State, formerly Northeast Missouri State
University. At TSU, he was a four-year letterman in cross country and track and field and
captained the track team for two years.
After college, Harris joined the elite section of the St. Louis Track Club sponsored by adidas.
From 1979 to 1981 he ran seven marathons with a personal-best of 2:19.54 in New Orleans.
At the 1979 Boston Marathon, he qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials with a time of
2:20.46. Harris retired from competitive road racing in 1981 to concentrate fully on coaching.
Harris is married to the former Kathy Bechhold, and the couple have two sons, John-David
and Jared.
INTRO
THIS IS NEBRASKA
COACHES & STAFF
HUSKER WOMEN
Harris’ Top 25 NCAA Championship Teams
Track & Field/Cross Country (Emporia State)
2011 Men’s Outdoor (4th), Men’s Indoor (5th)
2010 Women’s Outdoor (14th), Men’s Outdoor (22nd),
Men’s Indoor (9th), Women’s Indoor (18th)
2009 Women’s Outdoor (8th), Men’s Outdoor (20th),
Men’s Indoor (14th)
2008 Women’s Outdoor (10th), Men’s Outdoor (18th),
Men’s Indoor (11th), Women’s Indoor (23rd)
2007 Men’s Outdoor (16th)
2006 Men’s Outdoor (23rd), Women’s Indoor (20th)
2005 Men’s Outdoor (21st)
2004 Women’s Outdoor (14th), Women’s Indoor (15th)
2003 Women’s Outdoor (7th), Women’s Indoor (11th)
2002 Women’s Outdoor (17th), Women’s Indoor (6th)
2001 Women’s Outdoor (13th), Men’s Outdoor (17th),
Women’s Indoor (16th), Men’s Indoor (23rd)
2000 Women’s Indoor (10th)
1999 Women’s Outdoor (4th), Men’s Outdoor (19th),
Men’s Indoor (5th), Women’s Indoor (10th)
1998 Women’s Outdoor (10th), Men’s Outdoor (10th),
Men’s Indoor (8th), Women’s Indoor (18th)
1997 Women’s Outdoor (8th), Women’s Indoor (21st)
1996 Women’s Outdoor (5th), Men’s Outdoor (7th),
Women’s Indoor (13th), Men’s Indoor (19th)
1995 Men’s Outdoor (9th), Women’s Outdoor (13th), Men’s Indoor (13th)
1994 Men’s Outdoor (T17th)
1993 Men’s Indoor (24th), Men’s Cross Country (12th)
HUSKER MEN
HISTORY
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