Top 50 Hokie Spotlight: Queen Harrison
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Growing up, Queen Harrison’s favorite sport was basketball but in middle school, after the basketball season was over, she decided to give another sport a try. That sport was track and field.
She attended Hermitage High School in Henrico, Virginia, where she participated in various events, most notably, hurdles, triple jump and long jump, which led her to Virginia Tech. Prior to the start of her sophomore year, she qualified for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where she became the youngest member of Team USA Track and Field, as well as the first track and field athlete from Tech to compete in the Olympics. While Ms. Harrison didn’t have the most success in Beijing, she was on her way to becoming one of the most successful athletes in Virginia Tech history, especially during her junior and senior seasons.
Some notable accomplishments throughout her career include:
- 2009 and 2010 ACC Female Track Performer of the Year
- Recipient of the 2010 Bowerman Award, “The Track and Field Heisman Trophy”
- 3-Time National Champion at Tech: 60 Meter Hurdles, 100 meter hurdles (2010)*, 400 meter hurdles (2010)*
- *First woman to win both the 100 meter and 400 meter hurdles at the 2010 NCAA Championship
- Six-time All-American
- Inside HokieSports 2009-2010 Athlete of the Year
- Four East Regional Championships
- Five Individual ACC Championships
- Gold medal (400 meter hurdles) and the silver medal in the 2007 Pan American Junior Championships (100 meter hurdles)
Following the 2012 Olympics in London, she became engaged to fellow Team USA track and field athlete, Will Claye, who won the bronze medal in long jump and a silver medal in triple jump during these games. Queen Harrison still holds records at Tech for 60 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles.
