Miami Lakes Optimist baseball player Jasmine Harris was offered and accepted a full scholarship to South Carolina State upon graduating with top honors. Known to her teammates as “Jazzy,” Harris will be the starting shortstop for the Bulldogs.
“This is a great accomplishment for a young lady who has worked extremely hard academically and is an amazing athlete,” said her coach Alex Castroman. “Jazzy will be entering all honors classes at South Carolina State. She is a pleasure to coach. She’s a disciplined player and retained everything she was taught over the years.”
Harris led Miami-Dade County in hitting this past season and will be missed by all the players and coaches at Mater Lakes Academy High School and at Miami Lakes Optimist. Her parents, Maureen and James Harris, as well as her brother Tyler, are extremely proud of Jazzy and all of her accomplishments.
Although she had offers from FAMU and other universities, it was the Bulldogs that caught her attention.
“All of us at the Optimist Club are very proud of her as well,” said Castroman. “We work hard to teach every player that comes through our program the fundamentals of the game and to be a model citizen.”
Besides playing several years in the recreational program, Harris was a member of the Miami Lakes Heat 16-and-under and 18-and-under All-Stars travel teams.