Lu Harris-Champer
{{short description|American softball coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Lu Harris-Champer
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|6|16|mf=y}}
| birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Western Illinois
| player_years1 =
| player_team1 = Mesa Community College
| player_years2 =
| player_team2 = Western Illinois
| player_positions =
| coach_years1 = 1992–1996
| coach_team1 = Western Illinois (asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1996–1997
| coach_team2 = Nicholls State
| coach_years3 = 1998–2000
| coach_team3 = Southern Miss
| coach_years4 = 2001–2021
| coach_team4 = Georgia
| overall_record = {{winpct|1163|429|1|record=y}}
| tournament_record = {{winpct|85|51|record=y}}
| championships =
As a Head Coach:
- Southland Regular Season Champions (1996)
- 2× Southland Tournament Champions (1996, 1997)
- Conference USA Regular Season Champions (2000)
- Conference USA Tournament Champions (2000)
- 2× SEC Regular Season Champions (2003, 2005)
- 3× SEC Eastern Division Champions (2003, 2005, 2006)
- SEC tournament Champions (2014)
As an Assistant:
- Gateway Tournament Champions (1992)
- Mid Continent Regular Season Champions (1993)
- Mid Continent Tournament Champions (1993)
- Mid Continent West Division Champions (1996)
| awards =
- 3× SEC Coach of the Year (2003, 2005, 2018)
- NFCA South Region Coach of the Year (1996, 1999)
- Southland Coach of the Year (1996)
| coaching_records =
}}
Lu Harris-Champer (born June 16, 1967) is an American former softball coach who most recently served as the head coach at Georgia.{{cite web |title=Lu Harris-Champer |url=https://georgiadogs.com/staff.aspx?staff=335 |website=GeorgiaDogs.com |publisher=University of Georgia Athletics |accessdate=5 March 2019}}
Early life and education
Lu Harris-Champer was born in San Diego, California on June 16, 1967. She would later go on to graduate from Western Illinois University.
Coaching career
=Nicholls State=
At Nicholls State, Harris-Champer had an overall record of 90–40–1 (.691) in her two years as head coach from 1996 to 1997.
=Southern Miss=
At Southern Miss, Harris-Champer had an overall record of 115–22 (.839) in her two years as head coach from 1999 to 2000.
=Georgia=
Harris-Champer has been the head softball coach of the Georgia Bulldogs softball team since 2001. On June 6, 2021, Harris-Champer announced her retirement. During her career at Georgia, she led the team to 959 victories, two Southeastern Conference championships (2003, 2005), one SEC Tournament title (2014), 19-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, 11 Super Regionals, and five trips to the Women's College World Series, including final four appearances in 2009 and 2010.{{cite web |url=https://georgiadogs.com/news/2021/6/6/softball-lu-harris-champer-announces-retirement.aspx |title=Lu Harris-Champer Announces Retirement |website=GeorgiaDogs.com |publisher=University of Georgia Athletics |date=June 6, 2021 |access-date=June 6, 2021}}
Personal life
Lu is married to her husband Jerry, they have twin daughters, Jenna and Emma, and another daughter named Mya.{{cite web |title=Lu Harris-Champer |url=https://georgiadogs.com/staff.aspx?staff=335 |website=GeorgiaDogs.com |publisher=University of Georgia Athletics |accessdate=March 5, 2019}}
Head coaching record
=College=
{{CBB yearly record start | type =coach | conference = | postseason= }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Nicholls State Colonels
| conference = Southland Conference
| startyear = 1996
| endyear = 1997
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 1996
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 42–17–1
| conference = 19–5
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 1997
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = 48–23
| conference = 16–7
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = Nicholls State
| overall = {{winpct|90|40|1|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|35|12|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Southern Miss Golden Eagles
| conference = Conference USA
| startyear = 1998
| endyear = 2000
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1998
| name = Southern Miss
| overall = No team
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1999
| name = Southern Miss
| overall = 51–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2000
| name = Southern Miss
| overall = 63–13
| conference = 16–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = Southern Miss
| overall = {{winpct|114|22|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|16|1|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Georgia Bulldogs
| conference = Southeastern Conference
| startyear = 2001
| endyear = Present
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2001
| name = Georgia
| overall = 33–26
| conference = 9–18
| confstanding = 4th (East)
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2002
| name = Georgia
| overall = 59–17
| conference = 18–12
| confstanding = 2nd (East)
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2003
| name = Georgia
| overall = 57–14
| conference = 23–6
| confstanding = 1st (East)
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2004
| name = Georgia
| overall = 55–17
| conference = 20–10
| confstanding = 2nd (East)
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2005
| name = Georgia
| overall = 55–15
| conference = 26–4
| confstanding = 1st (East)
| postseason = Athens Super Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| season = 2006
| name = Georgia
| overall = 54–15
| conference = 24–6
| confstanding = 1st (East)
| postseason = Athens Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2007
| name = Georgia
| overall = 46–28
| conference = 13–15
| confstanding = 3rd (East)
| postseason = Lincoln Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2008
| name = Georgia
| overall = 46–24
| conference = 14–14
| confstanding = 3rd (East)
| postseason = Los Angeles Super Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2009
| name = Georgia
| overall = 47–12
| conference = 18–7
| confstanding = 2nd (East)
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2010
| name = Georgia
| overall = 50–13
| conference = 18–8
| confstanding = 2nd (East)
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2011
| name = Georgia
| overall = 51–14
| conference = 17–9
| confstanding = 3rd (East)
| postseason = Athens Super Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2012
| name = Georgia
| overall = 45–17
| conference = 17–11
| confstanding = 3rd (East)
| postseason = Knoxville Super Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013
| name = Georgia
| overall = 40–21
| conference = 14–9
| confstanding = 4th (East)
| postseason = Tempe Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2014
| name = Georgia
| overall = 49–15
| conference = 15–9
| confstanding = T-3rd
| postseason = Athens Super Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015
| name = Georgia
| overall = 44–17
| conference = 14–9
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason = Ann Arbor Super Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016
| name = Georgia
| overall = 46–20
| conference = 12–12
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017
| name = Georgia
| overall = 35–23
| conference = 6–18
| confstanding = 13th
| postseason = Tallahassee Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018
| name = Georgia
| overall = 48–13
| conference = 16–8
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2019
| name = Georgia
| overall = 42–19
| conference = 12–12
| confstanding = T-6th
| postseason = Minneapolis Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2020
| name = Georgia
| overall = 23–5
| conference = 2–1
| confstanding =
| postseason = Season canceled due to COVID-19
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2021
| name = Georgia
| overall = 34–21
| conference = 7–17
| confstanding = 11th
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = Georgia
| overall = {{winpct|959|367|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|308|198|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
| overall = {{winpct|1163|429|1|record=y}}
}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Southeastern Conference Softball Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris-Champer, Lu}}
Category:American female sports coaches
Category:American softball coaches
Category:Georgia Bulldogs softball coaches
Category:Western Illinois Leathernecks softball players
Category:Western Illinois Leathernecks softball coaches
Category:Nicholls Colonels softball coaches