Marc Harrison joined the Howard University Department of Athletics on February 2013 as the Head Coach of the Bison Cross Country & Track and Field programs.
"I am truly humbled by this opportunity to continue and enhance the cross country and track & field tradition here at Howard University,” said Harrison at that time. “There is a rich history that is to be remembered and celebrated here at The Mecca"
During his three-year tenure, Harrison has re-established the program as one to be reckoned with, both on a conference and national level. In the past three years, Harrison’s athletes have celebrated several MEAC Championships and NCAA qualifiers. His athletes remain atop the MEAC with members named to the Academic All-MEAC and Academic All-American teams.
Under Harrison’s leadership, the Bison have been to the NCAA Championships each of the past three years for outdoor track and field, and have competed in finals at the prestigious Penn Relays.
Coach Harrison made an immediate impact at Howard during his first year, leading the men's and women's programs to 4th and 10th place Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships finishes, respectively. He also helped five Howard student athletes - Monica Todd (1st Team - 400mH), Matthew Colvin (2nd Team - LJ), Giovani Mowatt (3rd Team - 800m), Rajae Gayle (3rd Team - JT) and Elisha Metto (3rd Team - 3000mSC) earn All-MEAC honors months into his tenure.
Howard began Harrison's first full season setting the tone by claiming a runner-up finish in the 2013 MEAC Cross Country championships, placing three student athletes on the all-conference team, and having 10 cross country team members named as MEAC All-Academic honorees , which tied for the most in the conference.
Harrison joined the HU coaching staff with over 20 years as an educator and coach at the college level and formal school level, while being named Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Track Coach of the Year three times and NCAA Regional Coach of the Year twice.
The 1992 Bucknell University graduate began his collegiate coaching career at Coppin State in Baltimore, Md., from Oct. 1996 to May 1998. During his tenure, Harrison served as the sprints and jump coach, strength and conditioning coordinator while developing several record breaking student-athletes and IC4A/ECAC qualifiers.
In 2000, he joined the Morgan State football staff as the wide receiver and kick returners coach, passing game coordinator and an NFL Scout Liaison.
Following his time with the Baltimore-based Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference institutions, Harrison moved the CIAA where he joined the Bowie State athletic department.
At BSU, Harrison extended his abilities beyond the playing field. Athletically, Harrison once again took on football duties as the wide receiver and kick returners coach, passing game coordinator and an NFL Scout Liaison. From 2001-06, Harrison was the head track and field coach and was named CIAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year (2004-06) and NCAA Southeast Region Coach of the Year (2006). He coached 35 NCAA All-Americans and five Arthur Ashe Scholars, while boasting the academic success of 39 student-athletes.
On the administrative side, Harrison was the Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance (2003-06), the financial aid and registrar liaison, athletic academic advisor (2001-06), a lecturer (freshman seminar, health and wellness, weight lifting and conditioning), faculty advisor for the Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (2003-06), advisor of the Bulldog Varsity Christian Fellowship, and director of a mentor program (2001-06).
In June of 2006, he took his skills to the District of Columbia to join the University of the District of Columbia Department of Athletics from June 2006 to Aug. 2009.
As the head track and field coach, Harrison produced 15 All-Americans and was named the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year in 2008. He was the USTFCCCA Independent Schools Representative and a member of the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame and Equity in Division II Track and Field Committee.
Harrison also dipped in the basketball arena as a volunteer with the SIAC Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament, Director of Operations for the 25th Anniversary of the 1982 Division II NCAA Basketball Championship (2007) and Co-Coordinator of the National Independent Women's Basketball Tournament (2008).
During his tenure at UDC, Harrison was the Director of Compliance and Student Services, served on the NCAA Infractions Committee for UDC and the faculty advisor for the Omicron Gamma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
His most recent collegiate experience took place at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania from Oct. 2009 to July 2011, where he served as the head coach for the women's cross country team and the women's track and field program. He coached six All-PSAC performers, a PSAC Triple Jump Champion and NCAA qualifier and a PSAC 100-meter and 200-meter Champion MVP (2011). Harrison also broke 11 school records, while serving on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors and the 2nd Vice President for Division II Track and Field.
He also serves as a member of the Executive Committee for Division I Track and Field.
"I am very excited about Coach Harrison, and what he will bring to the athletics department and our cross country and track & field program," said then Director of Athletics Louis "Skip" Perkins. "He has a solid coaching and administrative balance at the Division I, Division II and high school level that will take our program to the next level, while enhancing the life of our student-athletes."
Harrison resides in the DMV with his wife Barbara, who also works at Howard, his daughter Maya and son Marc, Jr. Harrison is also a financial member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
