She already made a name for herself in three seasons of high-level lacrosse at Notre Dame and now, as a graduate student, she's poised to become an integral part of USF's burgeoning first-year program.
But her name itself?
It still makes people pause or do a double-take.
Harbaugh.
Alison Harbaugh.
"People are usually nice about it,'' she said. "It's definitely strange at the same time. I mean, it's my name. What's the big deal? I grew up with it, you know?
"But the biggest thing is the pride I have in my name. It's my family, the people I love. We're very close and I am extremely proud to be a Harbaugh.''
Alison Harbaugh is accustomed to attention because of the pedigree of her sports-centric family. Her father, John, is in his 17th season as head coach of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, who he guided to the Super Bowl XLVII championship. Her uncle, Jim, coached the Michigan Wolverines to last season's college-football national championship and now heads the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers.
"You could say there are expectations and challenges to her name being Harbaugh, even when Alison was a little kid,'' John Harbaugh said by telephone from Baltimore. "But she has done great with it. She handles any added attention with such grace. I'm really proud of her and it's probably difficult for most people to understand what that's like, having people look at you a certain way simply because of your name or who your dad is.''
Actually, in the USF athletic department, Alison Harbaugh is surrounded by kindred spirits.
USF football freshman place-kicker Nico Gramatica is the son of Martin Gramatica, once a Pro Bowl kicker and Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Additionally, Nico Gramatica's uncles (Bill and Santiago) were two of the top kickers in USF football history.
USF softball sophomore infielder DaNia Brooks is the daughter of Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, the former Bucs linebacker and Super Bowl champion.
USF softball sophomore infielder Jamia Nelson is the daughter of former NBA all-star point guard Jameer Nelson, who was the 2004 National College Basketball Player of the Year at Saint Joseph's University.
"I think if the four of us were sitting at a table together, even though we might not know each other that well, we'd find that we have a lot in common,'' Alison Harbaugh said. "Our dads have been involved in the business of sports, where things can be so fickle, where the media and fans say things about you that maybe aren't exactly right.
"But you know what? You stay true to that family name. You grow closer and tighter. Your dad might be well-known, but he's still your dad. And that's what really matters.''
If the famous dads of these disparate USF athletes got together, they would also bond through the commonalities.
"I think the similarities are we really enjoy these moments as parents and we look forward to our kids blazing their own trails,'' Derrick Brooks said.
Honoring The Family Name
John Harbaugh wasn't there that night, but he saw the video taken by his wife, Ingrid. Alison, a multi-sport athlete, played point guard for her state-champion high-school basketball team. When she went to the free-throw line — a particularly important moment in a big game — a group of boys began the chant:
Harbaugh (stinks)! Harbaugh (stinks)!
Your dad's getting fired! Your dad's getting fired!
"Can you imagine?'' John Harbaugh said. "That's pretty rough treatment for a high-school girl. But you know what? She hit those free throws.''
Alison Harbaugh always had the "clutch gene,'' according to her father. She was very young when they began playing catch in the front yard. When the family lived in Philadelphia, she was a productive 5-year-old on a 7-year-old baseball team. When she discovered lacrosse, the games of catch continued. She used a lacrosse stick. He used a baseball glove.
With everything John Harbaugh has experienced in football — including defeating a 49ers team coached by his brother at the Super Bowl, 173 victories heading into this season, five division championships and 11 postseason teams — he said nothing compares to the pressure of watching Alison compete in lacrosse.
"Football is way, way easier,'' John Harbaugh said with a laugh. "I mean, there's always pressure and stress in an NFL game. But the stress of watching your own child? I think any parent would agree that puts you on the edge of your seat. You just want them to do well.
"At the same time, I've had more fun through the years watching Alison's lacrosse matches. I've felt the pressure, too, believe me, but seeing her perform and watching her happiness … it's great. I am incredibly excited that she's playing for USF, helping to get that program off the ground. The USF Bulls will be awesome — mark my words. And you will see me there for sure.''
USF's inaugural lacrosse match (against Kennesaw State) is Feb. 7, 2025 — the Friday before the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
"My dad was like, 'I'm not missing any games, so if we're playing in the Super Bowl, I'll get a plane and then I'll come back,' '' said Alison Harbaugh, who knows where to find her father at lacrosse matches — high up in the corner, watching intently, not saying a word. "And I'm like, 'Dad, slow down, take it easy. Let's be reasonable. You'll have a lot more lacrosse games to attend. If you're in the Super Bowl, you better stay in place.'
"It's just that Harbaugh competitiveness and enthusiasm that we all have. I don't care what it is — even a card game — we go all out and somebody will be crying at the end. At the same time, my dad has this tender side and he always knows the right words. I could have a bad day or practice and he'll remind me that doesn't determine my value, who I am and who God says I am. He says, 'If you lay your head down at night and you know you did your best, that's all you can do. Let the chips fly.' He's a great person and a great dad.''
She has learned to ignore the often-toxic public comments that surround a high-profile coach or athlete.
"When you're young and they (Ravens) lose, you go into school Monday morning wondering, 'Who's the first person who will say my dad should've done this or that?' '' said Allison Harbaugh, who was initially recruited out of high school by USF coaches Mindy and Paul McCord when they were at Jacksonville University. "My mom always told me to go out there with my head held high, proud of who I was. And I did.
"I don't read social media. It's not productive and it would just make you angry. I know the truth. As crazy as the attention can get, it has just made my family super close. We all know the deal. My dad is the best.''
Like Father, Like Son?
When Bulls kicker Nico Gramatica made his first college attempt — a 58-yarder on Sept. 21 against Miami — he ran to the sideline, shook a fist toward the sky, then leaped for a chest-bump with head coach Alex Golesh.
Make no mistake: Nico is his father's son.
Former Bucs kicker Martin Gramatica had years of memorable celebrations after connecting on field-goal attempts — whether they were long or routine. He deferred to his soccer background, where one goal was sometimes the game's only scoring, as explanation for his unusually enthusiastic displays.
When he made a 58-yarder in 2001 — in the first half of an exhibition game at Cleveland, no less — Tampa Tribune photographer David Kadlubowski won an award for capturing the jubilant image of a leaping, screaming Gramatica.
"I think we are both emotional in our own way and we love to have fun playing our sport,'' Nico Gramatica said. "We both think of a field goal in the same way as scoring a goal in soccer — and that's a big deal. We are just showing our natural joy.''
Martin Gramatica was born in Argentina, where soccer was the national sport and his first love. Nico said it's also his first love and his father initially suggested a soccer-exclusive career, but he was asked to play football as a sophomore at Cambridge Christian. Field-goal kicking is still relatively new to him, although he made a 56-yarder in high school.
"The really unique thing about Nico is he's not the best athlete in the family,'' Golesh said. "His little sister is an all-world soccer and flag-football player. So, I make sure Nico knows that every day.
"When you meet the family, you realize where the confidence, the swag and the humility all come from. He's not just Martin's son. He's not just a Gramatica (outwardly). He's a USF Bull. He has an incredible family who wants him to have the experience of a lifetime. You can tell they were hard (with discipline) on him because Nico can handle hard (coaching). It's as humble and classy of a family as we have as part of our program.''
This is not the story of a hard-driving father who wants his son to follow in his well-established cleat marks. The father is actually more hands-off — although always available — when it comes to kicking advice. Uncle Santiago, the USF kicker from 2001-04, is Nico's primary kicking coach.
"My dad can be my dad,'' Nico Gramatica said. "He wants me to make my own path. He wants me to enjoy that journey.''
Martin Gramatica stormed onto the scene at Kansas State, where he made a 65-yarder (and also a 77-yarder under practice game conditions). He was given a nickname that stuck — "Automatica.'' He remains a legend with the Bucs, where he was 17-for-27 career on field-goal attempts of 50 yards and beyond.
"With my family, I have great resources with my uncles and my dad if I get in a little slump or something's up,'' Nico Gramatica said. "They have done it. They've been through it. They've gone through college and the NFL.
"Santiago, I think, knows more technical things about kicking. For my dad, it just came natural. I was just a 2-year-old when my dad retired (from the NFL), so I have no memories. But I've watched videos of him kicking. I think me and my dad have similar height, similar weight and the same (leg) swing. Obviously, I'd love to (emulate) him because he was so successful. But my dad believes it's best to follow my own path and I agree.''
Nico's own path — obviously — is bound to intersect with the accomplishments of his father and uncles because they largely made their names in Tampa with the Bucs and USF.
"When people hear my last name 'Gramatica,' most of them have heard of my father,'' Nico Gramatica said. "Of course, they are going to have expectations for me. Being the son of Martin Gramatica, maybe it will open a door or two, but you have to keep making kicks when you're a kicker.
"I love the fact that I'm doing this in Tampa, just like the other kickers in my family. I looked at a few other schools, but I love what Coach Golesh is building here, so there was no other choice for me. I get to see my parents, my brother and my sister on the weekends. We have a real tight family atmosphere. I never wanted to leave Tampa. Why would anyone want to leave Tampa?''
Elite Athletes — And Softball Dads
Bulls softball coach Ken Eriksen said he knows that significant athletic DNA circulates throughout his infield with DaNia Brooks (daughter of Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks) and Jamia Nelson (daughter of NBA luminary Jameer Nelson).
Eriksen said he also knows something else.
"We're going to give a lot of credit to their moms,'' Eriksen said. "They were the disciplinarians. The moms deserve some credit here, even though all the sports fans are going to know all about these dads, who were definitely big-time athletes.
"The thing about DaNia and Jamia is their humility. They are unaffected by it all. Every time they show Derrick Brooks on TV, DaNia says, 'I don't get it. Why is he so popular with everyone? He's just, you know, my dad.' And I think that's great. Because, first and foremost, that's who they are. They are the dads — great dads.''
Derrick Brooks might be the all-time best Bucs player. His athletic prowess and civic contributions also qualify him as one of Tampa's all-time citizens.
But he does relish the fatherly role — along with helping along his daughter's softball career as a travel-ball coach and practice partner.
"I think DaNia has handled this all very well, ever since she started playing softball,'' Derrick Brooks said. "She has a very good perspective on things. She's very even-keeled.
"I honestly try to stay in parent mode and enjoy all of the moments. I want her to have this stage to herself. I'm always there for support. If she wants my opinion on something, I'm here. Other than that, I'm the proud parent.''
DaNia Brooks was too young to remember much from her father's NFL playing career — other than occasionally snacking on cotton candy at Raymond James Stadium — but she has been inspired by his work ethic and sterling reputation.
"I'm always going to be my own person,'' DaNia Brooks said. "But I am definitely influenced by the way my dad lives his life. He stays busy. He's one of the hardest working people I know. He has given me and my siblings a great foundation to build a life for ourselves.''
Derrick Brooks said he had three main lessons for his daughter — trust in God and your faith, work hard and treat others the way you want to be treated.
"My dad is big on using the gifts you have been given and putting forth your best effort,'' DaNia Brooks said. "He never wanted me or my siblings to be slacking when we could be achieving. So, it has always been about achieving your highest potential.
"People might be curious with all kinds of questions when they learn he's my dad, but he is truly a wonderful person. He loves to help people and I admire that about him, his willingness to be there for others. To me, that quality is bigger than anything he achieved in football.''
Jamia Nelson has fond memories of her father's NBA career, including a 10-season stint with the Orlando Magic. But Jameer Nelson is also fondly remembered around Philadelphia as the nation's best college basketball player. He nearly led the 2004 Saint Joseph's Hawks to the Final Four, falling just short in the NCAA East Regional final.
He even graced the cover of Sports Illustrated with the following headline: "Meet Jameer Nelson, The Little Man From The Little School That's Beating Everyone.''
"My dad never put pressure on me to become a basketball player, which I really appreciate because it turned out that softball was my sport,'' Jamia Nelson said. "I think I played basketball until I was in the fourth grade, but I didn't really like it. I like to watch basketball, but I'm not so good at the game.
"People always expected me to be good. I remember being in middle school and at recess we played basketball. I was air-balling every shot. People were like, 'Isn't your dad a basketball player?' And I said, 'Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm good.' ''
Jamia Nelson's father had a baseball background and he often attended major-league games with his daughter, so softball seemed like a natural. When she picked up the sport full-time, she quickly developed an ambition to play in college. It was difficult to leave her native Philadelphia, but she found a family atmosphere at USF.
Jameer Nelson, general manager of the NBA G League's Delaware Blue Coats, has been fully supportive and enthusiastic about his daughter's softball career.
She said her father and brother (Jameer Jr., formerly a basketball player at TCU) have been invaluable in providing advice on how to manage a college sports career, particularly in academic focus and time management.
"It's great to have a father who cares and understands,'' Jamia Nelson said. "I wouldn't have it any other way.''
Neither would any of the USF athletes who have famous fathers. While blazing their own path, they remain proud of the great examples and solid names their fathers have provided.
–#GoBulls–
