Chardonnay Harris joins the Florida A&M Softball program as assistant coach and pitching coach, bringing a background as both a decorated collegiate pitcher and a proven youth and high school coach.
A native of Oak Park, Illinois, Harris starred at Oak Park & River Forest High School, where the left-handed pitcher was named the 2016 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year and a two-time First Team All-State selection. She led her team to a 32-1 record and back-to-back state championships in 2016 and 2017, posting a 14-0 record in the circle with a 0.16 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 88.2 innings as a senior, allowing just 26 hits and 7 walks all season. A true two-way threat, she also hit .551 with 7 home runs, 48 RBI, and a .933 slugging percentage. She was additionally honored as an NFCA/Easton Scholar-Athlete.
Harris began her collegiate career at Auburn University, where she earned SEC Pitcher of the Week honors in 2019 after striking out a career-high 17 batters against Florida — the second-most strikeouts in a single game in Auburn program history and the most ever by a pitcher against an SEC opponent. She led the Tigers with 121 strikeouts in 2019 across 106.0 innings while walking only 30, and posted 11 wins with 4 shutouts, including a 14-strikeout complete game against Eastern Illinois and shutouts over No. 5 Tennessee and Missouri. Auburn advanced to two NCAA Regional Finals during her tenure.
Harris transferred to University of Louisville for her final two seasons, where she graduated with a degree in Communications and minor in Sports Management in 2022.Â
Following her playing career, Harris coached extensively throughout the Chicagoland area, working with players from age 6 up through premier 18u travel teams. Most recently, she spent three seasons at Trinity High School as the softball programs head coach before joining the Rattlers' staff.
Â
