Seoul American two-time All-Far East Division I Tournament middle blocker Destinee Harrison will take her talents to the nation's capital next fall to play for Howard University on a full scholarship. (Courtesy photo)
Destinee Harrison is taking her volleyball game to a new level.
Seoul American’s two-time All-Far East Division I Tournament middle blocker on Thursday signed a national letter of intent and accepted a full volleyball scholarship at Howard University in Washington starting next fall.
“I think I made the right choice,” Harrison said. “It’s a prestigious school and when I went there, everybody was so welcoming and (coach Dawn Barnes) was a really nice lady and made the process very easy.”
Playing Division I volleyball is a lifelong dream come true, Harrison said. “People are always going to be nervous about change, but more than nervous, I’m excited about playing at the Division I level.
Harrison racked up 88 service aces, 293 spike kills in 640 attempts, 66 block points and 132 defensive digs for the Falcons, who won the first D-I Tournament title in school history and in 31st-year coach Denny Hilgar’s swan-song season.
Harrison will join a Bison team that went 8-20 overall and 5-5 in the NCAA Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, losing three sets to one to South Carolina State in the MEAC quarterfinals.
She becomes the fifth DODDS Pacific student-athlete to sign for a full or partial scholarship or financial grant-in-aid to play college sports next fall.
Harrison’s basketball teammate Jordan Elliott will play basketball at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Kristina Bergman of Daegu American on Tuesday signed a partial scholarship offer to play volleyball for Division II University of Central Oklahoma.
Bergman’s volleyball, basketball and soccer teammate Angie Robinet in December signed a partial scholarship offer to play soccer for NAIA Point Park (Pa.).
And Reid Henderson, the reigning Okinawa Activities Council golf champion, on April 4 signed a partial scholarship offer from Maryville (Tenn.) College, a Division III school.
That Harrison has become a rare Pacific high school athlete to ink a Division I scholarship offer might send a message to others weighing similar dreams.
“It can be difficult, of course, but nothing is impossible,” she said.
