Bridgewater College

Erin (Albert) Harris enters her 15th season as head coach of the Bridgewater College volleyball program in 2025.

In 2024, Harris catapulted the volleyball program deep into conference play with the help of two-time AVCA All-American honorable mention Reagan Stoop leading the way. Stoop collected 416 kills, 49 service aces, 489 points, and 363 digs in the 2024 campaign. The Eagles went on an enormous 12-match winning streak in the regular season and continued the strong play in ODAC action securing 10 wins. In the ODAC Tournament, Harris guided the Crimson & Gold past the quarterfinals round as a No. 3 seed, defeating six-seeded Randolph-Macon in three sets and advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2021. The Eagles were stopped short in the semifinals round. In addition to Harris coaching Stoops' highly-acclaimed season and another All-ODAC First Team selection, Harris also helped Rachael Meyers earn All-ODAC Third Team selection as well as Gabby Atwell (All-ODAC Third Team).

Harris picked up her 200^th win early in the 2023 campaign and guided her squad to a 23-6 record to conclude the season. The Eagles claimed the number three seed in the ODAC tournament and hosted a home playoff game. Reagan Stoop (first team), Rachael Meyers (second team) and Ashley Rutherford (third team) all were awarded All-ODAC selections. Stoop picked up a multitude of honors throughout the season being named ODAC Freshman of the Year, AVCA Region Six First Team All-Region, AVCA Freshman of the Year, AVCA Player of the Week and three-time ODAC Player of the Week. Harris also led Stoop to an All-American selection which is the program’s first since 2019 and fourth selection overall.

The Eagles advanced to the ODAC tournament after another impressive season in 2022. BC stood as the last remaining unbeaten team in ODAC play with just a week left to play. Harris led three players to All-ODAC selections, including Grace Hayes who earned another first team all-conference selection to close out her career. Bridgewater also saw four student-athletes named to the CSC Academic All-District team (formerly CoSIDA). 

Bridgewater reached the ODAC semifinal round for the fifth time under Harris in 2020-21. Sophomore setter Grace Hayes was a first team All-State selection and was one of three All-ODAC honorees for the Eagles.

Bridgewater started the 2019 season 13-0 and 18-1 en route to a 23-7 final record. Rachel Gaston repeated as ODAC and State Player of the Year and earned the program's third All-American selection in a two-year span.

Harris had her most successful season as a head coach in 2018, culminating in ODAC Coach of the Year honors. The team posted a .774 winning percentage while only dropping seven matches. The team finished third in the ODAC regular season standings and earned a home first round playoff game. The team advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament. Harris coached ODAC Player of the Year and ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year Rachel Gaston as well as a first team and second team selection. Gaston and Victoria Wilson earned All-South Region honors as well as Honorable Mention All-America honors- the first two All-Americans in program history.

She earned her highest career winning percentage to date in the 2017 season. The team remained a top contender, beginning the season 11-1. The team finished 19-7 overall with an 8-3 record in conference. Harris earned her 100th career win with Bridgewater against Roanoke. The team finished third in the ODAC in regular season play and earned a home quarterfinals match against Lynchburg. The squad had four All-Conference selections, an ODAC Scholar-Athlete recipient for the second straight year and an Academic All-American in senior Carleigh Studtmann, and an AVCA All-Region honoree in Macon Frey. 

The 2016 season was a standout year for Bridgewater as the Eagles finished 21-10 overall and 7-4 in conference play. The team ranked as high as No. 7 in the NCAA South Region and won a home quarterfinals match against Guilford for its third ODAC semifinals appearance in five years. BC produced three All-Conference selections, an ODAC Scholar-Athlete recipient in Carleigh Studtmann and an AVCA All-Region honoree in Abby Mills.

In 2013, Harris' Eagles turned in a 20-16 overall record and a 5-6 mark in league play. Bridgewater earned its second straight trip to the ODAC semifinal round after upsetting second-seeded Randolph-Macon in the opening round. The team's 20-win season marks its first since 2008.

In 2012, Harris led the Eagles to an 18-15 overall record and a 7-3 mark in the conference. The team advanced to the semi-final round of ODAC playoffs after clinching the third seed in the tournament.

In her first season at the helm of the Eagles, the team finished with a 15-16 overall record and a 6-4 mark in the ODAC that tied BC for fourth place in the conference standings, up three places from the previous season.

Prior to taking the head coaching position at Bridgewater, Harris was an assistant coach at Chatham University as part of the NCAA Divison III Women and Ethnic Minority Grant Program. She also served as the athletic event coordinator while at Chatham.

During her college playing career, Harris was a four-year starter for NCAA Division III national power Juniata College. Juniata won the Landmark Conference title and regional title in each of her four seasons. She was a member of the 2006 team that won the NCAA Division III national championship. During the 2007 season she was named honorable mention All-American by the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association). In 2008, Harris was named the MVP at the NCAA regional tournament and earned a spot on the NCAA Division III National All-Tournament Team.

Harris graduated from Juniata with a major in chemistry and a minor in psychology. She resides in Dayton with her husband Jim, sons Leon and Arthur and the world’s cutest cats, Floki and Bast.