Joan Joyce
Encyclopedia
Joan Joyce is the softball
coach at Florida Atlantic University
, following a record-setting career as a softball player for the Raybestos Brakettes
and the Orange Lionettes. She also had set records on the LPGA Tour as a golfer and on the USA women's national basketball team, and was a player and coach for the Connecticut Clippers volleyball
team.
Her pitches were extremely fast at over 70 miles per hour. She pitched 150 no-hitters and 50 perfect games, with a lifetime earned run average of 0.09. In her record-setting 42-win season, she pitched 38 shutouts. Her 1974 Brakettes team was the first American team to win the world championship.
In exhibition games, she struck out Ted Williams
at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury, Connecticut
in 1961 (also during a brief stint in 1966) and Hank Aaron in 1978.
, Jim Jorgensen
, and Dennis Murphy) of the Women’s Professional Softball League
in 1976 and the coach and part owner of the Connecticut Falcons team, which won the Championship all four years of the league's history.
She is now a coach at Florida Atlantic University
, having coached softball since 1994 and women's golf since 1996. In softball, she has never had a losing season in 18 years as a coach. As of 2011, Joyce's Owls team has nine conference championships and 714 victories.. In her first two seasons (1995 and 1996), the Owls were Atlantic Sun Conference
runners-up, then won the next eight championships. They took second in 2005, then won again in 2006. Jones was named Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2002.
(AAU) All-America player.
in 1983. She was inducted into the International Softball Federation
Hall of Fame in 1999.
Joyce is in nine halls of fame. In addition to the National Softball Hall of Game and International Softball Federation Hall of Fame, she has been inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the Hank O'Donnell Hall of Fame, the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Waterbury Hall of Fame, and, as one of only three Americans, the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
coach at Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, following a record-setting career as a softball player for the Raybestos Brakettes
Connecticut Brakettes
The Connecticut Brakettes is a women's fastpitch softball team based in Stratford, Connecticut. The team has won many state, regional, national, and international tournaments .- History :...
and the Orange Lionettes. She also had set records on the LPGA Tour as a golfer and on the USA women's national basketball team, and was a player and coach for the Connecticut Clippers volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team.
As a player
Joyce played for the Brakettes from 1954–1963, the Lionettes from 1964-1966, and again the Brakettes from 1967–1975, In her career, she racked up many of the sports' records, which have yet to be broken:- Most consecutive all-star team selections (18)
- Eight-time MVP in the National Tournament (1961, 1963, 1968, 1971 (co-MVP), 1973, 1974, and 1975)
- Most victories in a season (42) (in 1974)
- Two no-hit, no-run games in National Tournament (four times)
- Shutouts in a season (38 in 1974)
- Most innings pitched in a game (29 in 1968 against Perkasie)
- Career doubles (153)
- Doubles in a season (22 in 1968)
- Career triples (67)
- Brakettes team batting champion (1960, 1962, 1967–69, 1973)
- Highest batting average (.467 in 1971)
Her pitches were extremely fast at over 70 miles per hour. She pitched 150 no-hitters and 50 perfect games, with a lifetime earned run average of 0.09. In her record-setting 42-win season, she pitched 38 shutouts. Her 1974 Brakettes team was the first American team to win the world championship.
In exhibition games, she struck out Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
at Municipal Stadium in Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
in 1961 (also during a brief stint in 1966) and Hank Aaron in 1978.
As a coach and organizer
Joyce was co-founder (with Billie Jean KingBillie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
, Jim Jorgensen
Jim Jorgensen
Jim Jorgensen is a serial entrepreneur. He has started over 25 enterprises since getting his MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business at the age of 24. Jorgensen’s industry selection for these new enterprises has been wide, running from retail to manufacturing, from Internet to mail order, and...
, and Dennis Murphy) of the Women’s Professional Softball League
National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch , formerly the Women's Pro Softball League , is the only professional women's softball league in the United States. The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001. The NPF revived the league in 2004 and currently features four teams: USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago...
in 1976 and the coach and part owner of the Connecticut Falcons team, which won the Championship all four years of the league's history.
She is now a coach at Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, having coached softball since 1994 and women's golf since 1996. In softball, she has never had a losing season in 18 years as a coach. As of 2011, Joyce's Owls team has nine conference championships and 714 victories.. In her first two seasons (1995 and 1996), the Owls were Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
runners-up, then won the next eight championships. They took second in 2005, then won again in 2006. Jones was named Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2002.
Golf
After softball, she joined the LPGA Tour, which she was on from 1977–1994. Her best finishes included sixth-place in tournaments in 1981, 1982 and 1984, including a round of 66. She is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for lowest number of putts (17) in a single round (both men and women), set at the 1982 Lady Michelob.Volleyball
Joyce served as player and coach in the United States Volleyball Association with the Connecticut Clippers. She competed in four national tournaments, and was named to the All-East Regional team.Basketball
Joyce played on the USA women's national basketball team in 1964 and 1965, setting a national tournament single game scoring record in 1964 with 67 points. She was a four-time Women's Basketball Association All-American, and a three-time Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU) All-America player.
Halls of Fame
Joyce was inducted into the National Softball Hall of FameNational Softball Hall of Fame
National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum is a softball museum located in Oklahoma City's Adventure District. It includes the "Don E. Porter" Hall of Fame Stadium, home to the World Cup of Softball and the annual Women's College World Series...
in 1983. She was inducted into the International Softball Federation
International Softball Federation
thumb|Map of member states.|400px|rightThe International Softball Federation is the international governing body for the sport of softball. The ISF is a non-profit corporation recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the General Association of International Sports Federations .The...
Hall of Fame in 1999.
Joyce is in nine halls of fame. In addition to the National Softball Hall of Game and International Softball Federation Hall of Fame, she has been inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame, Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the Hank O'Donnell Hall of Fame, the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Waterbury Hall of Fame, and, as one of only three Americans, the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.