CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Jebreh Harris has been named the assistant coach for distances and cross country with the University of Southern California track and field program. The decision was announced by the Trojan Director of Track and Field Caryl Smith Gilbert today, October 21.

Harris served as an assistant coach for middle distances and long sprints the past two seasons at Illinois. In his short time at Illinois, Harris coached freshman Tracy Towns to one of the top 1000m times in program history (2:49.16). At the 2019 Big 10 Indoor Championships, the Illini Women's DMR took third place with Felicia Phillips contributing on the 400m leg. Konrad Eiring placed first in the 1000m at the Larry Wieczorek Invitational earning him a personal best time in the event (2:26.10).

"I am proud of what Coach Harris has done to support the mission of the University of Illinois, Division of Intercollegiate Athletics and Track and Field Program. He has made a positive impact on the lives of student athletes, colleagues, and campus community" says Illini coach Mike Turk. "I have tremendous respect for Coach Smith Gilbert and I am happy that Coach Harris has the opportunity to join her staff as he continues his career development. I am grateful for the time we have had with Jebreh, he will always be a valued member of our Illini family!"

Prior to his stint at Illinois, Harris was the head cross country and assistant track and field coach at UNLV from 2012-2018. He also served as the recruiting coordinator at UNLV for both the track and field and cross country programs.

During his coaching career at UNLV, Harris coached Avi'Tal Wilson-Perteete to the second fastest NCAA 800m time of 2:01.14. Wilson-Perteete earned second-team All-America honors in the 800m for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, and broke the Mountain West record in the 800m. Harris also coached Kaysee Pilgrim to a third-place finish in the high jump at the 2017 NCAA Championships. Pilgrim earned first-team All-American honors in the high jump and set the high jump conference record.

In total, Harris coached five individual and five relay Mountain West Conference Champions and 20 All-Conference track and field performers at UNLV. He assisted in leading the UNLV track and field program to the MWC Indoor Championship title in 2018. Harris coached UNLV school records in six events: the indoor and outdoor Distance Medley Relay (DMR), indoor 800m, indoor 600m, indoor 5k, and outdoor high jump. The 2018 indoor DMR team clocked a time of 11:31.59, breaking a previous school record that had stood for 20 years.

A native of Decatur, Georgia, Harris competed at the University of Tennessee where he earned his undergraduate degree in graphic design in 2002. He was a two-time NCAA All-American in the distance medley and the 4x400m relay. He helped lead the team to both NCAA and SEC Outdoor Championships titles in 2001. Prior to Tennessee, Harris also competed at Alabama State where he earned all-conference awards in cross country and track and field.