Chris Harris enters his first season as the head coach of the Runnin' Bulldogs after serving as the interim head coach during the 2024-25 season.
During his first season on the sideline at GWU, Harris helped to guide the Dawgs to a Big South Conference Tournament berth, its first since the 2022 season and only the second in team history. Under Harris' leadership, Gardner-Webb placed two members on the Big South All-Conference Team as well as one on the Big South All-Academic Team and a Big South Christenberry Award Winner.
Prior to is arrival at Gardner-Webb, Harris spent four total years at Chowan, working for three as an assistant coach and one as the head coach. Harris first served as an assistant from 2020-21 to 2022-23, before then taking over the head coaching reigns for the 2023-24 season. Part of his first collegiate head coaching gig, Harris helped the Hawks improve from just one win to six during his lone season at the helm.
The Hawks set several program-highs across Harris' four total years with the program, including a 100% graduation rate off the field to go along with a top ten defense nationally in caused turnovers per game, a top fifteen offense that ranked highly in total shots and shots per game, and saw a top 50 individual player in points per game while competing in Conference Carolinas.
Harris also helped as a director of operations for the Hawks, overseeing film breakdown, recruiting, playbooks, inventory and budgeting, as well as practice planning and game setup. In addition, Harris also spent the same duration of time as Chowan's head cross country coach, taking the lead for two university programs.
Prior to his stint at Chowan, Harris had a successful four-year run as the head women's lacrosse coach at Northside High School in Jacksonville, N.C. Over his tenure, Northside saw 13 all-league players and Harris was named conference coach of the year in 2018 and 2019. Harris also spent one season leading the school's men's lacrosse program as well.
A native of Jacksonville, N.C., Harris is one of 13 siblings. He previously graduated from Elizabeth City State University with a BS in Physical Education and Health where he also played college football.
