Jyllissa Harris (born April 8, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Northern Super League side Ottawa Rapid, on loan from the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League. She played college soccer for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
_051.jpg) Harris with the Houston Dash in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | April 8, 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Hazlet, New Jersey, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Ottawa Rapid FC (on loan from Houston Dash) | ||
| Number | 33 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2022 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 107 | (16) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Houston Dash | 12 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Ottawa Rapid FC (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 17, 2025 | |||
Early career
editHarris was born in Hazlet, New Jersey, and attended Red Bank Catholic High School.[1] She was a nominee for the High School All-American Game in 2017 and competed for the PDA Gunners and Sky Blue of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL).[2]
College career
editHarris played college soccer for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2018 to 2022.[2]
Harris attended the University of South Carolina where she set an NCAA Record for all-time minutes (9,395). At South Carolina, Harris was No. 1 all-time starter (105 games) and No. 1 in all-time games played (107, No. 3 in NCAA). Across her five-year career, Harris started in all but two of her 107 games played and passed the 2000-minute mark twice. Harris was awarded the Top Drawer Soccer Best XI selection as well as a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American nod.[2]
Club career
editHarris was selected by the Houston Dash in the 2023 NWSL Draft.[3] In her first season with Houston, Harris recorded 47 total passes with an 80.9% success rate.[4] In November 2023, the Dash exercised a contract option for Harris.[5] In March 2025, she was loaned to Canadian Northern Super League club Ottawa Rapid FC.[6] At the end of the 2025 season, she won the league's Defender of the Year award and was named to the league's Team of the Season.[7] After the 2025 season, she returned to Houston, signing an extension.[8] On January 26, 2026, having played 2,415 minutes during the previous season, it was announced that her loan with the Rapid had been extended for the 2026 season.[9] Harris provided the assist for Ottawa's goal in a 3-1 loss against Halifax Tides FC on April 25, 2026, the Rapid's opening game of the 2026 season.[10] She scored her first goal for the Rapid on May 29, 2026, the first goal of a 2-1 win over the Halifax Tides.[11][12]
Personal life
editHarris graduated from South Carolina in May 2022 with a degree in Childhood Education.[3]
In September 2022, Harris and other female student-athletes at South Carolina were honored during a South Carolina football game before being yelled at to "get off the field"; the moment went viral as Harris spoke out on social media regarding the incident.[13]
Career statistics
edit- As of match played November 8, 2025
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs[a] | Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Houston Dash | 2023 | NWSL | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | — | — | 3[c] | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||||
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 12 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Ottawa Rapid FC (loan) | 2025 | Northern Super League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 37 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||
- ↑ Includes NWSL Playoffs
- ↑ Includes the NWSL Challenge Cup
- ↑ Includes the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
Honors
editSouth Carolina Gamecocks
Individual
- SEC All-Freshman Team: 2018
- United Soccer Coaches All-American Second Team: 2022
References
edit- ↑ "Notre Dame girls soccer comes up short against Red Bank Catholic in Non-Public A South title game". November 10, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Jyllissa Harris". University of South Carolina Athletics. July 17, 2018.
- 1 2 FC, Houston Dynamo. "Houston Dash announce draft pick signings | Houston Dynamo". Houston Dynamo FC.
- ↑ "Jyllissa Harris". NWSL.
- ↑ "Houston Dash announce end of season roster decisions". Houston Dash.
- ↑ "Houston Dash loan Jyllissa Harris to Ottawa Rapid FC for the 2025 season". Houston Dash. March 10, 2025.
- ↑ "Ottawa Rapid forward DB Pridham completes near sweep of Northern Super League awards". Times Colonist. October 31, 2025.
- ↑ https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/news/houston-dash-announce-roster-updates-x9872
- ↑ "Houston Dash Extend Jyllissa Harris' Loan to Ottawa Rapid FC". Houston Dash. January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Rapid FC Battle to the End in Season-Opening 3-1 Loss to Halifax Tides FC". Ottawa Rapid FC. April 25, 2026. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
- ↑ "Rapid FC Strike Late to Earn 2-1 Win Over Halifax Tides FC". Ottawa Rapid FC. May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Pridham's late goal lifts Rapid to 2-1 NSL win over Tides". The Canadian Press. May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ↑ Adams, Emily. "Shane Beamer apologizes for reaction to Title IX recognition at South Carolina football game". USA TODAY.
External links
edit- Jyllissa Harris at Soccerway.com
- Jyllissa Harris at FBref.com
- Jyllissa Harris at kicker (in German)
- South Carolina Gamecocks bio
