Stephen Joyner, Sr. is approaching his 25th season as head coach of the JCSU Golden Bulls men's basketball team. A native of Winston-Salem, NC Joyner's success in basketball began at Atkins High School where he was the second leading scorer on the 1969 undefeated North Carolina State 4-A Championship Team. With a stellar high school career, Joyner became the star point guard for the Golden Bulls from 1969-73.
After a stint as an assistant coach at Virginia Union University, he received his first head coaching position with Smith's women's team in 1980, building the Golden Bulls into one of the CIAA's most competitive programs. He guided the women's team to its first appearance in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional Tournament. To get there, Smith won its first CIAA Southern Division Championship and finished second in the conference tournament. After compiling a 92-87 record with the women's team, Joyner took over as the head men's coach in 1987. For over two decades, he has taken the men's program to unprecedented levels, establishing Smith as one of the most feared teams in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. His career record is 437-256 (as of 9/21/11).
Throughout his 24-year tenure as coach, Joyner has collected numerous accomplishments during his career. Joyner is the winningest men's basketball coach in Golden Bulls history, having recorded over 400 victories. He led the Golden Bulls to the CIAA Western Division Title in 1992, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2000, his team finished fourth in the CIAA, third place finishes in 1991, 1993 and 2003, second place finishes in 1992, 1998, 2002, and 2006. Coach Joyner has captured the CIAA Tournament Championship in 2001, 2008, and 2009. He was selected as the CIAA Coach of the Year and (1992, 1997, 2001) and NCAA Division II South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 2001.
In the 2000-01 season, he led the team to victory in the Harbor City Classic in Baltimore, Maryland, the Legacy Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA Western Division Championship, the University's first ever CIAA Tournament Championship, the University's first ever NCAA South Atlantic Regional Championship and first appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight National Tournament held in Bakersfield, California. His Golden Bulls completed their historical season by being ranked #10 in the final NCAA poll and #2 in the Final Sheridan Broadcasting Network poll of black colleges.
In all, Joyner has taken the Bulls to seven CIAA Divisional Titles and has produced 25 All-CIAA performers and five All-Americans, many who received those honors multiple times. In addition, his up-tempo style produced JCSU's top two career scorers, Columbus "Green Light" Parker and Mark Sherrill, who now serves as Joyner's top assistant coach at Smith. Joyner is an active member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Basketball Coaches Association (CIAA-BCA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Joyner is an NCAA Division II Congressmen and member of the All-American Committee. He previously served as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) South Atlantic Regional Ranking Committee. He serves as a member of the McCrorey YMCA Board.
The Bulls success on the court is matched by the success of the student-athletes in the classroom. Joyner strongly believes that students who excel in academics give him an advantage as a coach. "Watching an athlete mature is an accomplishment in its self," said Joyner. "When athletes graduate, you know that you have developed the student spiritually, physically, and mentally." Under Joyner, Smith consistently ranks at the top of the CIAA cumulative grade point average. At Smith, where academics are always priority, Joyner is a vindicator for education first for all players. Joyner earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Johnson C. Smith University and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Virginia State University.
Joyner and his wife Narell live in Charlotte, North Carolina. They have two sons and a daughter: Steve Jr., who is going into his second season as head women's basketball coach at conference rival Winston-Salem State University, Brian, and Janel, a graduate from The University of North Carolina. The Joyners are also the proud grandparents of a little girl (Alicia).
|
Career Breakdown |
|
School |
Years |
Record |
W/L Pct |
|
Johnson C. Smith |
24 |
437-256 |
.631 |
|
Career |
24 |
437-256 |
.631 |
|
Year |
School |
W- L |
W/L Pct |
|
|
1987-88 |
Johnson C. Smith |
14-14 |
.500 |
|
|
1988-89 |
Johnson C. Smith |
6-21 |
.222 |
|
|
1989-90 |
Johnson C. Smith |
16-12 |
.571 |
|
|
1990-91 |
Johnson C. Smith |
23-7 |
.767 |
|
|
1991-92 |
Johnson C. Smith |
25-7 |
.781 |
|
|
1992-93 |
Johnson C. Smith |
20-8 |
.714 |
|
|
1993-94 |
Johnson C. Smith |
15-11 |
.577 |
|
|
1994-95 |
Johnson C. Smith |
21-9 |
.700 |
|
|
1995-96 |
Johnson C. Smith |
11-16 |
.407 |
|
|
1996-97 |
Johnson C. Smith |
9-17 |
.346 |
|
|
1997-98 |
Johnson C. Smith |
22-9 |
.710 |
|
|
1998-99 |
Johnson C. Smith |
19-8 |
.704 |
|
|
1999-00 |
Johnson C. Smith |
16-13 |
.552 |
|
|
2000-01 |
Johnson C. Smith |
27-5 |
.844 |
|
|
2001-02 |
Johnson C. Smith |
23-8 |
.742 |
|
|
2002-03 |
Johnson C. Smith |
20-9 |
.690 |
|
|
2003-04 |
Johnson C. Smith |
16-13 |
.552 |
|
|
2004-05 |
Johnson C. Smith |
16-13 |
.552 |
|
|
2005-06 |
Johnson C. Smith |
23-8 |
.742 |
|
|
2006-07 |
Johnson C. Smith |
16-9 |
.640 |
|
|
2007-08 |
Johnson C. Smith |
21-10 |
.677 |
|
|
2008-09 |
Johnson C. Smith |
23-8 |
.742 |
|
|
2009-10 |
Johnson C. Smith |
18-10 |
.643 |
|
|
2010-11 |
Johnson C. Smith |
17-11 |
.607 |
|
Coach Joyner's Career Breakdown as Head Women's Coach
|
Career Breakdown |
|
School |
Years |
Record |
W/L Pct |
|
Johnson C. Smith |
6 |
82-72 |
.532 |
|
Career |
6 |
82-72 |
.532 |
|
Year |
School |
W- L |
W/L Pct |
|
|
1981-82 |
Johnson C. Smith |
13-12 |
.520 |
|
|
1982-83 |
Johnson C. Smith |
14-10 |
.583 |
|
|
1983-84 |
Johnson C. Smith |
13-12 |
.520 |
|
|
1984-85 |
Johnson C. Smith |
17-9 |
.654 |
|
|
1985-86 |
Johnson C. Smith |
10-18 |
.357 |
|
|
1986-87 |
Johnson C. Smith |
15-11 |
.577 |
