When she was a third-grader, Truckee, Calif., native Jasmine Harris ran the Little League bases so fast that her father nudged her to try track and field. His intuition was spot-on. Now, more than a decade later, Jasmine represents the University of Nevada in track and field, excelling in the 400-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay.
Finding her lane
Although Jasmine considered multiple scholarship offers, she said the University of Nevada saw her as more than an athlete. The campus’s proximity to her hometown was an added bonus.
“I chose Nevada because it’s honestly the only program that truly wanted me as a person,” Jasmine said. "Nevada ultimately has grown on me as a person and as an athlete.”
For Jasmine, “home” means coaches and teammates who have helped her build her confidence. Since she landed at Nevada, Women’s Track and Field Head Coach Shantell Twiggs has been a role model, along with Associate Athletic Director Kim Gross.
Stepping into leadership
Gross saw potential for Jasmine beyond athletics, offering her a chance to represent the University on that National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a body that represents student-athletes’ concerns at the highest level of college sports. Jasmine currently serves as the SAAC president for Nevada Athletics.
The assignment has opened many doors for Jasmine, including in advocacy. During one SAAC meeting, she appealed to NCAA President Charlie Baker to make gambling addiction resources available for student-athletes. In December, she was one of four speakers at the Sports Business Journal Intercollegiate Sports Forum in Las Vegas, discussing mental health among athletes.
“I learned that I can use my voice and platform to elevate the perspectives of those who don’t necessarily have the same abilities or opportunities,” Jasmine said.
Jasmine hopes to build on that momentum by setting the groundwork for the next generation of SAAC. She wants to continue bringing student-athletes together and building an even greater sense of community.
She’s also enthusiastic about helping to grow funding and recognition in women’s sports. Nevada Athletics is a model for that future with its strong female leadership.
That momentum has also brought her wider recognition. Jasmine recently signed a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with Nevada Dairy Farmers, and she was featured in their back-to-school campaign in August 2025.
The grind behind the scenes
However, she said, being a student-athlete isn’t always glamorous.
“They don’t see the tears that come into it,” Jasmine said. “They don’t see the long days filled with exams, hard workouts and busy schedules. They don’t see the rolling around the track after practice.”
Around 8 a.m., Jasmine wakes up to eat her usual breakfast of egg whites scrambled with spinach, sausage or turkey bacon, and a side of toast. She then walks from her apartment near campus to the training room to stretch, talking and laughing with fellow athletes.
She practices from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by an hour-long lifting session. Then it’s off to class. The busy day continues at home, where she does schoolwork, completes tasks for SAAC and cooks dinner. She ends her day by spending time with her roommates.
To keep all of her commitments in balance, Jasmine has to follow a strict routine and embrace hard work. Her success comes with some sacrifices of the traditional “college experience,” she said, but that’s what it takes to compete at the Division I level.
The financial sacrifices made by her parents, Aaron and Kim Harris, also don’t go unnoticed. She said their support has been instrumental to her success.
Looking ahead
Jasmine plans to graduate in May with a dual degree in marketing and management and a minor in sports management. She already has a few internships under her belt, including as a brand and partnership intern at Nexa Tax, a tax preparation platform focused on college athletes.
Even with the challenges that come with being a student-athlete, she said it’s been worth it.
“I would not trade this lifestyle for the world,” Jasmine said.
“I love Nevada and it’s just something I continue to wear cross my chest.”