How old Was Coach Joan Joyce Before Her Death?

Joan Joyce was was 81 years before her death. She was born on August 18, 1940, and died on March 27, 2022

 

When Joan Joyce was a player and coach, she was one of the few persons who had success in both roles.

Joyce was named head softball coach at FAU in 1994 after a four-decade-long playing career that included stints in baseball, basketball, and football.

This year was her 28th season as head coach of the Owls, and she had accumulated 1,002 wins and eight Conference Coach of the Year awards in the process.

Eight consecutive Conference titles (1997-2004)  a total of 12  and eight straight NCAA Tournament participation (1997-2004), all under the guidance of Joyce, are unmatched in college basketball history (2006, 2015, 2016).

Since taking over as head coach at Florida Atlantic, Joyce has been busy sowing the seeds of success for her team.

After nine months of hard work, she had a 33-18 record in the first year of the curriculum she had created from scratch.

In her first season, Joyce not only won the Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year honor but was also voted Palm Beach County Coach of the Year.

After a 37-32 season in 1996, the squad made it to its second straight A-Sun tournament by putting in more work.

Joyce was also promoted to the position of Senior Woman Administrator at FAU the same year, a position she held until 2001.

In 1997, she led FAU to its first A-Sun victory in any sport, as well as the program’s first conference championship.

Joyce’s second A-Sun Coach of the Year title was a result of this success. The team won the A-Sun title for the second time in 1998.

Automatic postseason bids were provided to the A-Sun in 1999 for conference champions.

The Owls made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after winning their third consecutive Atlantic Sun Championship.

Another A-Sun Coach of the Year award and the Southeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association were given to FAU’s coaching staff for their 49-20 record.