VC alumna Adria (Sneed) Harris '97 Inducted into CCCWBCA HoF

Ventura College women's basketball alumna Adria (Sneed) Harris '97 was inducted into the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Thursday. The two-time state champion and two-time All-State selection becomes the fifth Pirate to be inducted into the state coaches' Hall of Fame, including Marina Torres-Reyes '96 (inducted in 2009), Renae Hofmann '00 (2010), Amirah Leonard '97 (2011) and Monique Taylor '02 (2015). 

Harris, who now resides in Bellvue, Wash., received her recognition in front of a packed house at the CCCWBCA Banquet of Champions associated with the 3C2A State Elite Eight at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. She was one of three inductees presented during the evening along with Kim (Smith) Streeter from Pasadena City College and Phouangmaly "Pong" Pravongviengkham from Irvine Valley College. 

Additionally, the evening's festivities celebrated the CCCWBCA Academic All-State honorees from the 2023-24 academic year, the 2024-25 CCCWBCA All-State Teams and the Elite Eight teams participating in the 3C2A Championships at Mt. SAC.

A 6-foot-1 forward from Juanita High School in Kirkland, Wash., Sneed visited Ventura College at the invitation of AAU teammate Cindi Jensen. The two, along with friend Tiffany Lewis liked what they saw, and in the summer of 1995 the three moved to Ventura to join head coach Ned Mircetic's Pirates.

Sneed was a standout from the beginning on a team that was on the precipice of greatness. During the 1995-96 season, the Pirates were unbeatable, literally. VC completed an undefeated season, the first in the program's history, marching to a state title game match-up against previously undefeated Saddleback. In the only game of its kind in state championship history, the Pirates remained undefeated with a 69-62 triumph over the Gauchos.

Sneed was in the first of two five-player rotations, averaging 13.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. On a team that included four future VC Hall of Famers (Sneed, Torres-Reyes, Kara Newman and Tori Anderson), she stood out, earning first-team All-Western State Conference and second-team All-State honors.

As a sophomore, the pressure to repeat was immense, and the Pirates did not disappoint. VC stretched their winning streak to 42 games before a loss in early December refocused the team. From that point, Ventura was unbeatable once again, winning 29 straight en route to their second straight state title. The team featured three players who would earn their place in the VC Athletics Hall of Fame (Sneed, Newman and Amirah Leonard).

Sneed posted averages of 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds as a sophomore while shooting 56.8 percent from the floor to earn first-team All-WSC and first-team All-State recognition. She is one of ten VC women's basketball players to date to earn all-state recognition for two seasons.

Sneed ended her career third on the program's all-time scoring list and fourth in rebounds. She remains eighth and seventh, respectively, and today is one of just three Pirates to appear in the top-10 on both lists.

More importantly, Sneed was part of a group that produced a 71-1 record over a two-year span, including two state championships. The 1996 and 1997 VC women's basketball teams were inducted into the VC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, and their combined mark remains the greatest two-year run in state basketball history.

Sneed transferred to the University of Southern California with a basketball scholarship and spent two seasons playing for the Women of Troy. She graduated in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in social science/psychology and returned to the Seattle area. She earned her master's degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Washington in 2005 and has worked with various community college programs that offer vocational training to low income and at-risk populations helping to break the cycle of poverty. Currently she is the Associate Dean of Student Success and Equity at Bellvue College, a two-year community college in the Seattle area.

Sneed married Antoine Harris, a former tight end on the USC football team, in 2012. They have two children, Louis, 14, and Zarah, 12.

VC alumna Adria (Sneed) Harris '97 (left) was joined by long-time
Pirate assistant Maria Christine at the CCCWBCA Banquet of 
Champions at Mt. SAC in Walnut Thursday.