Meet Ae'Rianna Harris by PURDUE ATHLETICS on Exposure
2017-18 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• 2018 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the third player in Purdue history to earn the award following Kelly Komara (2002) and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (2007)
• Just the third sophomore in conference history to earn top defensive honors, following Tanisha Wright (Penn State
• 2003) and Shavelle Little (Ohio State 2008)
• Named second team All-Big Ten by the media and coaches
• Has the most rebounds (491) and blocked shots (180) of any player in program history over their first two seasons
• Posted the Boilermakers's sophomore rebounding record, amassing 304 boards this season and snapping the mark set by Stacey Lovelace in 1993-94
• Also broke Cathey Tyree's sophomore rebounding average record, securing 8.9 rebounds per game
• Her rebounding total tied for fourth on Purdue's single-season record list, and she is the fifth player in program history to grab 300 rebounds in a season
• One of three NCAA Division I players to collect at least 300 points, 300 rebounds and 100 blocked shots
• Tied for fifth in the nation with 105 blocks and ranked eighth in the country at 3.09 blocks per game
• Her 105 blocks are second on Purdue's single-season record list, and are the most in program history by a sophomore
• Already ranked fourth all-time at Purdue with 180 career blocked shots
• Fastest player in program history to 100 career blocks, needing 45 games to become the 12th player in program history to hit the mark, and just the second to do it as a sophomore, following Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton
• Has a team-best and Purdue sophomore season record nine double-doubles on the year, also tied for seventh-most in a season all-time at Purdue
• Posted a pair of 20-point, 10-rebound games, tallying 22 and 11 vs. Miami (Ohio) and 20 and 13 vs. UT Martin
• Scored the 11th-most points of any sophomore in program history with 398
• Shot 51.9 percent from the field in 2017-18, and her 52.1 career field goal percentage is tied for seventh-best in program history
• Saw a 21.6% improvement at the free throw line from her freshman year, hitting 76.7% at the stripe
• Scored a career-high 27 points vs. Penn State, converting 12-of-14 from the field and 3-of-3 at the free throw line
• Had 13 games with double-digit rebounding totals, including a career-high 18 rebounds vs. Indiana
• Blocked a career-high seven shots on two occasions this season, first vs. Lamar (11/18) and again at Rutgers (12/28), tied for fourth-most in a single game at Purdue and becoming the third Boilermaker to block seven shots in a game twice (Camille Cooper and Wisdom-Hylton)
• Received the Boilermakers' Perseverance Award and the Defensive Award at the postseason banquet
2016-17 / AS A FRESHMAN
• Appeared in all 36 games in her first season, including 14 starts, one-of-four players on the team to play in every game
• Scored a career-best 19 points in a win over Nebraska, hitting eight-of-11 from the field
• Grabbed a season-most 14 rebounds at Rutgers, good for the ninth-most by a Purdue freshman all-time and most in a single-game by a rookie since 2001
• Averaged 12.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in the NCAA Tournament, hitting 63.2 percent from the floor
• Matched the Boilermakers' Big Ten Tournament single-game record with five blocks vs. Illinois in the second round
• Set a Purdue freshman record with 75 blocked shots, good for third-most in a season by a Boilermaker
• Led the Big Ten in blocks, good for 21st most in the NCAA and second-most by a freshman nationally
• Already 17th in school history in blocks
• Connected on 52.4 percent from the floor, including 54 percent in conference play, good for seventh overall on the season and sixth in Big Ten action
• One-of-three players in program history to have at least four games with five blocks or more in one season (Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (6) - 2006-07, Michele VanGorp (4) - 1995-96)
• Secured 187 rebounds, good for fifth-most all-time by a Purdue freshman
• The Boilermakers were 10-4 with Harris in the starting lineup
• Earned Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week honors after wins at Rutgers and vs. Iowa
• Received Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved honors at the Boilermakers' postseason banquet
HIGH SCHOOL
• Has earned four varsity letters at Ben Davis (2013-14) and Lawrence North (2015-16) High Schools
• Guided Lawrence North to conference and sectional championships in 2015-16, averaging 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks per game
• Named AP Second Team All-State in 2016
• Led her team to the Indiana High School 4A State semifinals in 2015, grabbing 12 boards in the semifinal loss
• Averaged 9.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in 2014-15, shooting 61 percent from the field
• Named to the All-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference team 2014-16
• Earned a spot on the 2016 First Team All-Indianapolis Area Superteam
• Averaged 10.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game at Ben Davis as a sophomore
• Named to the honor roll at Ben Davis in 2013, in addition to having perfect attendance
• Coached by Christopher Griffin (Lawrence North) and Joe Lentz (Ben Davis)
NOTEWORTHY
• Named a five-star recruit and the No. 20 overall player (No. 6 forward) in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz
• Ranked No. 61 overall by JumpOffPlus/Prospectnation.com
• Plays AAU with the Indy Lady Gym Rats, where she has won several tournaments
• Other outstanding team performances include the 2015 Nike National runners-up, the 2014 AAU National Championship runners-up and the 2012 AAU National Champions
• Nominated for the 2016 McDonald's All-America game
• Member of the 2016 Indiana All-Stars team
PERSONAL
• Full name: Ae'Rianna N. Harris
• Major: Human Services
• Birthday: Sept. 16, 1998
• City Born: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Parents: LaJuan and Erica Harris
• Siblings: Brothers, Xavier and Gerin, Sisters, Jazlyn and Yesenia