Ariel Harris

Position:
Defender
Height:
5-6
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Holly Springs, N.C.
High School:
Apex

General -- Three-year returning starter in the Tar Heel defense at the left back position...one of Carolina's steadiest players...reliable defender without necessarily being flashy...began starting at left back in the 2004 season and then started there on a full-time basis as sophomore and junior...rotates in the lineup in a deep defensive unit which also includes Jessica Maxwell, Robyn Gayle and Kristi Eveland...coach Dorrance continues to be impressed by her improvement...one of the fastest players on the team...rarely makes a mistake in the back.

National Team Experience - Trained during the first half of the 2006 school year with the U20 National Team.

Club Soccer -- Has been a member of the Region III ODP Team since she made the Under-14 State Team...played her club soccer for the CASL `85 Elite in 2000...led he club team to the 2004 state championship.

Junior Season (2006) -- Had another outstanding season as a mainstay in the Tar Heel defensive corps...played in 27 of the Tar Heel's 28 games and started 17 times...over her three-year Tar Heel career she has played in 68 games and started 42 times...she assisted on Heather O'Reilly's game-winning goal in the 2-1 regular-season win over Florida State...merited kudos on the ACC Academic Honor Roll for the third straight year.

Sophomore Season (2005) - Started the first four games of the season before being sidelined for the next six games with a knee injury...returned to action by playing 31 minutes against Clemson September 30...reentered the starting lineup against Virginia Tech and started the final 10 games of the campaign, playing all 90 minutes in nine of them...recorded the first point of her career with an assist on Kendall Fletcher's goal against Davidson...named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll for the second year in a row...was a spring 2006 Dean's list selection.

Freshman Season (2004) - Played in 22 matches for Carolina as a freshman...started 11 times after she moved into the starting lineup in midseason on the defensive flank...named to the Dean's List in the spring semester of 2005...also earned membership on the 2005 ACC Academic Honor Roll.

Prep--Graduated from Apex High School on May 29, 2004...an outstanding all-around athlete there...played soccer as well as playing four years of basketball...also competed in track, running everything from the 100 to 800 meters and on relay events...was an All-Conference selection in both basketball and track...won the coaches award in track...also named to the conference's All-Academic team...ran on a 4 x 200-meter relay team which captured third place in the state championship meet...member of National Honor Society...scholar-athlete honoree.

Personal--Given name is Ariel Elisa Harris...is nicknamed Earl... has one sister, Amber Harris...was born April 8, 1986 in Niskayuna, N.Y....is the daughter of Robin (mother) and Arthur Miller (stepfather) and William Harris (father).

About Ariel...
Academic Major: Biology
Career Plans: Undecided
Athlete Most Admired: Michael Jordan
Person with the Greatest Influence on Athletic Career: My mother
Favorite Book: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
Favorite Food: My mom's cooking
Favorite Movie: Love and Basketball
Favorite TV Show: Girlfriends