The 2023 NWSL Draft is this Thursday, and it’s time to get to know some of the registered athletes. Jyllissa Harris was kind enough to answer a few questions for us, so let’s look at a few statistics, read some questions, and get to know her a bit before she takes the leap to the NWSL.
Jylissa Harris – Defender (CB) – University of South Carolina
5th year senior
103 career starts, with 9305 minutes played
43 career points
5 time All-SEC
Multiple SEC Tournament Championships
Harris is a proven defender, shown most evidently (and very impressively) by making an all-SEC team every year she was at South Carolina. Her 43 career points show that she gets involved in every aspect of the game, and is even a threat on set pieces, like the one below.
Let’s get into the questions!
Q: You spent five years at South Carolina, did you consider declaring for the draft after your fourth? What led to you staying for a fifth year?
A: I did not consider declaring after my fourth. I decided to stay for my fifth year for a few reasons. I wanted to stay because I felt like I was not finished at South Carolina. I wanted to continue to compete for another championship and play with a team that I had a lot of faith in. Another reason is that because I was not graduating until May my senior year, I would not be available to play or join a team until May, which would be missing a significant part of the season. Because of these reasons my decision to take a fifth year was clear.
Q: What factors contribute to whether you’d like to play in the NWSL when compared to other leagues around the world (WSL, D1F, etc.)?
A: As women’s soccer continues to grow, the NWSL continues to advance their quality, the facilities, and their recognition world wide. The league just continues to advance with so many great players. The NWSL is a league that anyone would be really lucky to be a part of and I am really excited to have an opportunity to possibly join the league.
Q: Do you have a favorite formation? One where you feel particularly successful?
A: I would not say that I have one particular formation that is my favorite, but I have played a 4-3-3 mostly in my career. This formation allowed for some versatility in how we attack and defend and suited the players on our team the best. When it comes to picking a formation in my opinion the most important thing is to find the system that best compliments the players.
Q: You have a long list of collegiate awards and achievements, are there any that are especially meaningful to you?
A: Awards are great and I am especially grateful for them as I know that I would not be able to accomplish any of them without my teammates and staff. However, the three championships I won mean more to me than my individual awards just because the teams that won those championships were so talented and deserving.
Q: Do you have a favorite game or memory from your time at South Carolina?
A: It is hard to narrow it down to just one, but some of my favorites were winning the two SEC tournament championships or beating UNC in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2021.
Look for Jyllissa in the new mock draft, and expect more interviews to come!
SoccerDossier Staff
Working to cover and predict the NWSL draft earlier than it ever has been before. Make sure to check out our other articles, and The Dossier, a list of NWSL draft prospects!