Payton Harris: Leaving A Lasting Legacy At MSU

Payton Harris strives to do what is best for her team, both on and off the court.

As she reflects on her career, the Houston, Texas, native can't talk enough about what she describes as an amazing experience during her four years at Mississippi State.

"I told my dad, on my first trip to Starkville, this is where I am suppose to be for the next four years," Harris said.

From club, school and college volleyball, Harris has used volleyball to build her leadership skills.

She recalled a time where she almost did not make the high school volleyball team. That pushed her to develop as a player and made her work hard every day in the gym. Through her relentless efforts, Harris closed out her high school campaign as a two-time letter winner and team captain at Cy-Fair High School.

Harris' high school success was only foreshadowing of the leadership role she would take on as a freshman.

She went on to be an AVCA All-American freshman libero who holds one of the best rookie campaigns in Mississippi State volleyball history earning 725 digs during her freshman year with a career-high 59 digs against Northwestern State.

"I have to give credit to all of my coaches on guiding and propelling me to do my best," Harris said.

Through the years, those who have known Harris can see her passion on the court. With her diving digs and powerful presence, Harris has been a force to be reckoned with in her time as a Bulldog.

Harris recalls a funny moment with MSU coach David McFatrich when he nicknamed her Pedro because she constantly talked about Mexican restaurants. For McFatrich, giving out nicknames is one of his traditions.

"I remember one time when we stopped practice because he called me by my real name," she said laughing.

Harris loves her team, all their personalities and the friendships built over the years. While playing volleyball, she has built close relationships with Cheyenne Spell, Chelsea Duhs, Emily Howard, Kelly Costeria and Shelby Anderton.

She is looking forward to attending weddings, vacations and girls' weekends with them very soon.

One of her biggest accomplishments as a student-athlete was breaking the all-time digs record.

Her shining moment came on Oct. 1, 2017, at home versus Kentucky. Currently, she has 1,809 career digs, which puts her in the fifth spot in the SEC record books. In 2014, Harris also earned the second-place spot in SEC history for most digs in a single season with 725.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to play in the Southeastern Conference, and I had no idea of the things I would accomplish here," Harris said. "I want to encourage younger volleyball players to always work hard and remember that positions are earned, not given."

Harris will be celebrating her senior day on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. in Newell-Grissom.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Payton Harris: Leaving A Lasting Legacy At MSU

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