Harris Among NFF University Scholar-Athletes

RALEIGH, N.C. – East Carolina's Rahjai Harris has been named a recipient of the 2024 University Scholar-Athlete Award according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation's (NFF) Bill Dooley Chapter on Monday.

Harris, a running back from Duncan, S.C., returned to the Pirates backfield in 2023 after suffering a season-ending surgery in 2022. The senior led East Carolina in rushing with 485 ground yards and five touchdowns, while catching seven passes for 43 yards and an additional score. During his four years with the program, Harris started 17 of 37 career games running for 1,930 yards on 489 carries with 18 touchdowns. He added 307 yards receiving on 46 grabs with four more scores. Harris tallied five career 100-plus yard games, was named American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year with first-team all-league honors in 2020.

Academically, he graduated in the fall of 2023 with a degree in communications, was named to the AAC All-Academic Team twice and is a four-time ECU Director of Athletics Honor Roll member. Harris is currently pursuing a second degree in recreation and parks management.

Past East Carolina winners of the NFF University Scholar-Athlete Award include Sean Allen (2010), Matt Milner (2011), Mike Barbour (2012), Leonard Paulk (2013), Damon Magazu (2014), Warren Harvey (2015), J.T. Boyd (2016), Worth Gregory (2017), Austin Teague (2018), Alex Turner (2019), Fernando Frye (2020), Jonn Young (2021), Jireh Wilson (2022) and Myles Berry (2023).

Other 2024 University Scholar-Athletes for the Bill Dooley Triangle East Chapter of North Carolina are Anthon Carr Jr. (NC State), Dwayne Carter (Duke), Christopher Holliday (North Carolina) and Juan Velarde (NC Central).

About the NFF Bill Dooley Chapter
On August 23, 1995, Bill Dooley, one of the winningest coaches in the Atlantic Coast Conference history, invited athletic directors, coaches and representatives from the University of North Carolina, Duke University, N.C. Central University and North Carolina State University to join him and N.C. Governor Jim Hunt at the State Capitol Old Senate Chambers. It was at that meeting that the universities pledged their support to the newly formed NFFCHOF Chapter and its mission. In 2012, East Carolina University joined the Chapter and, in 2014, the NFFCHOF Board of Directors unanimously voted to name the chapter after its founder.

Players Mentioned

Rahjai Harris

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