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Waterbury Softball Field Named after Joan Joyce
8/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 18, 2015
WATERBURY, Conn. - Long before she was a legendary coach, Florida Atlantic University Head Softball Coach Joan Joyce was an incredible multi-sport athlete. However, she is best known as a softball player.
The softball field in her hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut was named in her honor in a ceremony held last Saturday.
After many years of being referred to as Joan Joyce Field, Waterbury's Memorial Stadium field is now officially named after the legend. It is the site of arguably her most notable accomplishment, striking out Ted Williams in 1961.
"To come back home and have the same field I played on named after me is a tremendous honor," said Joyce.
As a player, Joyce ended her career with a 753-42 career record, 150 career no-hitters, 50 perfect games, a lifetime ERA of 0.09 and a batting average of .324. As a coach, she has amassed more than 800 career wins, 10 conference titles and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances as the only head coach in FAU Softball history. Several of her former players were on hand for the occasion.
"It was a great ceremony. It wasn't just the city of Waterbury, it seemed like the entire state of Connecticut came out to show their love for Joanie Joyce, as they call her," said former FAU softball player ('95-'96) and current assistant coach Chan Walker. "It was full of laughter, tears and fond memories."
Joyce is also a member of 11 different Halls of Fame and after the ceremony, she signed more than 500 autographs for the fans in attendance.
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