“I started going to my dad's adult league softball games at a week old,” Harney recalls. “At three, my parents had me on skis, and by seven, I joined my first summer league swim team.”
She grew up excelling in soccer, swimming, and softball, eventually becoming a three-sport varsity athlete at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in New Jersey.
Her passion for sports continued at Stony Brook University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Athletic Training while competing on the women’s swimming & diving team.
As a senior, Harney served as team captain and represented her peers as the America East SAAC representative. Later, at Adelphi University, she pursued her master’s degree in Physical Education while continuing to compete in swimming, earning top finishes at the NE-10 Conference Championship and contributing to three school record-holding relay teams.
Harney’s path to Athletic Training was inspired by a personal experience:
“After tearing my ACL in high school, I discovered a passion for Athletic Training,” she explains. “I originally wanted to be a PE teacher, but that injury changed my direction.”
Her career journey took her from teaching and coaching at Stowe Middle/High School to roles at Norwich University and the University of Illinois Springfield before returning to Vermont.
“I missed being part of athletics,” she says of her return. At Vermont State Johnson, Harney also had a brief stint as head tennis coach—a role she humorously compares to a “Ted Lasso moment.”
Today, Harney’s favorite part of her job is watching her student-athletes create the same kinds of memories she treasures.
“I miss the pasta parties and cheering on my teammates. But now, I get to see my student-athletes making those memories for themselves.”
Harney credits her success to the strong female role models she had growing up.
“I was really lucky to have amazing women coaches and Athletic Trainers my whole life,” she says, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and connection in her journey.
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