Dan Harris, MSOE's director of athletics for 17 years, continues to lead the Athletics Department with innovative thinking, enthusiasm and a sense of tradition. Harris is one of the most tenured college athletic directors in the state of Wisconsin. Relying on more than 40 years of coaching and collegiate administrative experience, Harris transformed MSOE's athletic program into a vibrant and competitive NCAA Division III program that offers students more than 20 varsity sports with facilities that rival many Division I programs.
Under Harris' direction, the Raiders have claimed 37 conference championships and produced numerous all-conference athletes, as well as academic and athletic All-American selections. Harris, the Raiders' first full-time athletic director, initiated the growth of the Athletics Department from a small staff of part-time coaches to a department comprised of full-time administrators, head coaches and an athletic trainer. Harris and his dedicated staff have shown the commitment to student-athlete excellence and increased the level of competition of the MSOE programs. In 16 seasons, 23 coaches have received conference coach of the year awards.
During the 2010-11 season, MSOE placed second in the Northern Athletics Conference All-Sports Award standings for men's sports. Also, the Raiders finished in the top five for both men's and women's sports in the NAC Sportsmanship Awards standings. MSOE won conference titles in indoor and outdoor track and field and finished second in golf and tennis during the past academic year. The Raiders' second place finish tied their previous highest finish which occurred during the 2007-08 school year. Also during the 2010-11 season, MSOE ice hockey, men's volleyball and wrestling each finished second in their respective conferences.
Harris has a long history as a collegiate soccer coach, including NCAA Division I stints at the Air Force Academy and UW-Milwaukee. He received hall of fame honors for the seventh time in January 2011 was inducted to the MSOE Athletics Hall of Fame. His previous inductions include UWM, Concordia-Wisconsin, Nathan Hale-Ray High School, the Wisconsin Soccer Association, Milwaukee Kickers and a charter member of the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association.
Harris began a four-year stint serving on the NCAA Division III soccer committee in September 2009. He has served as a member of the American Volleyball Coaches' Association men's volleyball Molten Invitational selection committee. Harris also has chaired the NCAA Div. III Ice Hockey Committee and has served as a member of the NCAA Division III Baseball Committee.
Dedicated to creating opportunities for students to compete in varsity athletics, Harris was instrumental in forming the new Midwest Lacrosse Conference that started during the 2009-2010 school year. He served as the conference's first commissioner. Harris was instrumental in the founding of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Conference and served as that league's first president. In recognition of his efforts, the MCHA's championship trophy has been named the Harris Cup in his honor.
In 2004, Harris oversaw the opening of the Kern Center, a $31 million, 210,000-square foot recreation, health and wellness center that provides a home for many of the university's athletic teams and fitness facilities for students, faculty and the community.
Harris received his bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut and a master's from the University of Southern California. His experience as an athletic director spans many levels; beginning with Nathan Hale-Ray High School in Connecticut, a stint at UW-Milwaukee and Concordia University-Wisconsin before taking the top post at MSOE in 1995.
Harris and his wife Barbara have two adult children, Mark and Angela. Mark and his wife Stefanie have three children, Lexi, Cade and Landon. Dan and Barbara reside in Grafton, Wis.
