Harriett Morrison
Harriett J. Morrison is the 2025 posthumous inductee to the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
She is the winningest high school girls program coach in county history, leading the Farrell High volleyball team to a record eight state championships in her long career.
A Mercer High graduate in 1962 (prior to girls’ high school sports), she graduated from Slippery Rock State College in 1966. She was then hired at Farrell High School as a teacher, cheerleading advisor and track and field coach.
Athletic Director Ed McCluskey planned to start a girls volleyball program and he asked Harriett to coach. The rest is history. Her only losing season was the first in 1973-74.
She led Farrell to 8 state titles and 5 PIAA runner-up finishes. The teams made 22 consecutive state playoff appearances, had 20 WPIAL championships and posted 5 perfect seasons.Under her tutelage, the school’s overall record was an unbelievable 554-59 for a winning percentage of 0.904.
She was inducted into the Mercer Area High School Hall of Fame in 2010, the Pa. Volleyball Coaches Assoc. Hall of Fame in 1998 and the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2010. She was a finalist for Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year.Harriett organized Junior Olympic Volleyball in western PA and served as JO coach of the 14-under program.
The Farrell School District named its auxiliary gymnasium in her honor.
She was the American Business Women’s Association Woman of the Year in 1975.
She died Jan. 18, 2018.