As a two-time SUNYAC champion, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, SUNYAC Tournament MVP and two-time team MVP, 2016 alumna Goldie Harrison set a high standard for herself during her four years on the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team.
Standing at only 5-feet, 4-inches, Harrison's fearlessness and grit made her a strong force on the court. For head coach
Jamie Seward one game still stands out in his mind, which epitomized everything Harrison was as a player. Against rival SUNY Oneonta, Harrison took it upon herself to guard one of the Red Dragons' best players inside who was giving the Hawks trouble all first half.
"As we were walking off the floor, Gold came up to me and just said, 'I got her in the second half,' " Seward recalled. "Goldie was a senior as well, so by that point I knew her well enough to know she wasn't going to be denied and to just get out of her way."
Despite the nearly six-inch height difference Harrison won the match up, as she didn't let up a single point in the second half and allowed her opponent to pull down just one defensive rebound after she dominated on the offensive glass in the first half. SUNY New Paltz went on to win the game, 70-59.
"At the time I was really hungry and fearless," Harrison said. "I'm a small player and they can underestimate me because of my size, but they have no idea how much heart I have."
When asked where she thought her toughness came from, Harrison recalled her early years of playing basketball, where from second to sixth grade she starred on an all-boys travel team. "That alone showed me how to be competitive, because they didn't care that I was a girl," she said. "They didn't take it easy on me. My coach didn't take it easy on me."
In addition to her competitive edge and performance, Harrison's leadership skills enabled her to become one of the only players on the women's basketball team to hold the title of team captain for three consecutive years.
Seward recalled a specific instance during the 2016 season where the Hawks had just lost their third consecutive home game. Harrison took it upon herself to talk to her team and motivate them to end the losing streak, and followed with one of the best statistical games of her career.
"The next morning at our shoot-around prior to playing Buffalo State, Goldie ripped into her teammates about their efforts and focus," Seward said. "She was direct, she was confrontational, she was passionate, and she was brutally honest. She put herself out there like no other player I'd ever seen."
"I thought that if they are going to be on the court with me and if they are going to be playing with me, I am going to play so hard that if they don't work as hard as me they're going to feel uncomfortable being on the court," Harrison recalled.
The next day, Harrison put up a team-high 20 points, shooting 8-of-10 from the field, 4-for-4 from the foul line, while also adding two rebounds, three assists and a steal to lead her team to a dominating, 92-61, victory over Buffalo State to put an end to the Hawks' home losing streak.
"It was as if she said to them that morning, 'listen this is what we need to do,' and then that afternoon went out there and showed them," Seward said. "Titles aside, Goldie was the best leader I've ever coached or even been around."
Following the lop-sided victory over the Bengals, SUNY New Paltz went on to win 10-straight games and earn the top seed in the SUNYAC playoffs where it went on to clinch its second-straight conference championship and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
"After that game it started something really amazing. I felt unstoppable," Harrison said. "I thought that if we could play like this and have this energy for every game no one could stop us and then we went on to win the conference championship."
The grit and leadership skills Harrison learned during her four years as a Hawk set the tone for her future career. Harrison graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Production and Digital Media Programming and Management, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. Upon graduating it didn't take her long to find work, as she immediately received a position as a director in the events industry. Shortly after, Harrison was offered a position for event coordinating at Facebook.
In addition to her other achievements, Harrison created her own media company and opened up an event space and creative studio. She also has kept busy with her most recent project, producing the largest hip hop festival and concert in New York City, "The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival."
"Being a young woman in this industry you have to be a leader. You have to be competitive and gritty sometimes, especially as an entrepreneur," Harrison said. "Without my competitive nature, without my leadership, I really wouldn't be where I am today in my career. I'm 24 with my own business and I can see myself doing this for a really long time."
The company Harrison founded is called, 24: OURS Creative. When asked the significance of the company name she said, "The name was founded off my attitude when I am on the court to give everything, my all and giving every second of every day your all. 24: OURS is about claiming each day whatever industry you're in."
Harrison is currently working toward her Master of Science in Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management degree at The New School and is expecting to graduate in 2019. In the future, Harrison hopes to use her degree in the classroom and as far as basketball, her busy schedule does not allow much time for her to play competitively, but she does hope to one day start her own Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team to stay connected to the sport she loves.
"I wish I knew earlier how important it is to make sure that your voice is heard," said Harrison when reflecting back on her time at SUNY New Paltz. "I didn't realize that until I actually became a captain, so my coach saw it in me before I did. It's important to have your voice heard whether it's on or off the court."
