What a year it has been for West Feliciana's Tristen Harris!
What started with an amazing indoor campaign as a junior mushroomed into a busy recruiting process this fall as she began her senior year. It culminated last week with the best long jumper in Louisiana history signing with the University of the South Carolina.
Sunday evening, MileSplit LA editor Jerry Byrd visited with Harris, who will open her 2025 indoor campaign this weekend at the Galleria Games in Birmingham, Alabama. Her first meet on Louisiana soil will be the LSU High School Classic on Saturday, January 11th.
"It was the coaches," Harris said when Byrd asked her about signing with the Gamecocks. "We started creating a good relationship and then going there on a visit I liked it a lot. I liked the team and the atmosphere. I'm looking forward to something new and growing into a bigger and better athlete."
But the interview below contains more than just her signing with the Gamecocks. Harris talks about her dog, Grey's Anatomy, the LHSAA Class 4A State Outdoor Meet where she won the MVP, and her summer trip to Eugene, Oregon where she joined the Nike Elite.
Last May, Harris won the 100m (11.56), 200m (24.13), and long jump (20-10.75). In the latter event, Harris is ranked No. 2 in the nation among returners indoors with her best jump of 20-6. Outdoors, she is the No. 1 ranked returner with her personal best of 21-2.25.
She is the only high school female athlete in Louisiana history who has surpassed the 21-0 barrier.
