Joe Foley, the
2010 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year and Russell Athletic/WBCA Regional
Coach of the Year, has led the UALR Women’s Basketball program to four-straight
20-win seasons, to three-straight Sun Belt Conference West Division titles, and
the team’s first-ever NCAA appearance and win. Foley has recorded a
586-165 (.780) career record and a 130-84 (.607) UALR record as he begins his eighth
season in 2010-11.
In his seven years, Foley has compiled the most overall wins (27)
and the most conference victories (17), while producing the school’s first
All-Sun Belt Conference selections in Alicia Cash in 2004, Jocelyn Love in 2005
and 2006, Kim Sitzmann in 2007, 2008, and 2010, Nikya Hughes in 2008, Anshel
Cooper in 2008 and 2009, and Chastity Reed in 2009 and 2010. He also
recruited back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year with Renee Renz
in 2006 and Sitzmann in 2007. No other Sun Belt Conference school has
achieved this feat.Foley also coached
the school’s first-ever Honorable Mention All-America honoree in Chastity Reed
in 2010.
Last season, Foley led the women’s basketball team to top more
records and go to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school
history.The Trojans defeated higher
seed Georgia Tech 63-53 and lost in the second round to Final Four team
Oklahoma.UALR recorded the team’s
third-straight Sun Belt West Division title and fourth-straight 20-win
season.The Trojans finished in the Top
5 in the nation in four team categories, while three Trojans finished in the
Top 5 in individual stats:Asriel Rolfe,
No. 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, Chastity Reed, No. 4 points per game, Shanika
Butler No. 4 assist-to-turnover ratio and triple-doubles.Reed earned first team All-Sun Belt honors,
while Kim Sitzmann earned third team.Reed was a finalist for the second straight-season for NCAA Division I
State Farm Coaches’ All-America team, was the first Trojans to receive AP
All-America Honorable Mention, and has her No. 20 jersey hung in the Women’s
Basketball Hall of Fame from May 2010-2011.Reed, Butler, and Sitzmann earned All-Sun Belt Tournament honors.The Trojans ended the season setting 12 UALR
records
In 2008-09, under Foley’s direction the Trojans recorded their
second-straight Sun Belt Conference West Division title and WNIT appearance
while recording school records of 26 overall and 16 conference victories.
UALR finished the season ranked in the Top 5 in the NCAA in four categories,
leading the nation in turnover margin while ranking second in turnovers per
game, third in assist-to-turnover ratio, and third in scoring defense for the
third straight season. Sophomore Asriel Rolfe finished the season ranked
No. 6 in the nation in assist turnover ratio, while Chastity Reed became the
first Trojan to be named a regional finalist for the NCAA Division I State Farm
Coaches’ All-America Basketball Team. Reed along with Anshel Cooper
became the first women’s basketball players to earn Sun Belt Conference
All-Tournament Team honors as the Trojans advanced to their first-ever SBC
Championship game. The Trojans set eight records during the 2008-09
season.
In 2007-08, Foley led the Trojans to their first-ever Sun Belt
Conference West Division title with a 23-9 overall record and 14-4 Sun Belt
Conference record. For the first time in school history, the Trojans
appeared in the WNIT tournament and played in the Sun Belt Conference
Tournament semi-finals. UALR finished the season ranked No. 3 in the
nation in scoring defense behind Louisiana State and Rutgers and was also
ranked in the top 25 in turnovers (11th) and assist turnover ratio
(21st). Freshman Asriel Rolfe finished the season ranked No.
27 in the nation in assist turnover ratio with a 1.91 mark being the highest
ranked freshman in that category. The Trojans also recorded first wins
over Middle Tennessee at the Murphy Center and Louisiana Tech at the Jack
Stephens Center. The Trojans also hold the longest home winning streak in
the Sun Belt Conference at 20 wins and went 14-0 at home in 2007-08.
In 2006-07, Foley lead his team to a 21-10 overall record and a
12-6 Sun Belt Conference record placing them second in the Sun Belt Conference
West Division, their highest place in school history. The Trojans
finished third in the nation in scoring defense with Louisiana State and Duke
finishing first and second respectively. Love became the all-time leading
scorer with 1,495 points and ended her career holding ten UALR career
records. Foley won his 500th career game last season against
North Texas.
During the 2006-07 season, Love became the first two-time All-Sun
Belt Conference selection for UALR and became only the second person in school
history and first under Foley’s tenure to receive Sun Belt Conference Player of
the Week honors.
In 2004, Foley led the Trojans to their first ever post season
victory in the Sun Belt Conference tournament when UALR defeated Denver 50-48.
Off the court, Foley has had every athlete that has played for
four years graduate.Love received ESPN
The Magazine First Team Academic All-District honors in 2007 and graduated
Magna Cum Laude in May 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree.
Foley spent 16 seasons at Arkansas Tech University where he
compiled a 456-81 record, won two NAIA National Championships and successfully
transitioned the Golden Suns into one of the top NCAA Division II programs in
the nation.
Foley began his coaching career at the high school level as both
the boys and girls basketball coach at Oxford (Ark.) high school from 1979-81
and then at Morrilton High School as an assistant for the boys team until 1984.
Foley began his stint at Arkansas Tech as an assistant for the
men’s basketball program from 1984-87. Foley was elevated to the women’s
head coaching position before the 1987-88 season, where he would build one of
the top women’s basketball programs in the nation.
The Golden Suns had six 30-win seasons under Foley and posted 16
consecutive 20-win seasons. Foley guided Arkansas Tech to back-to-back
NAIA national championships in 1992 and 1993 and was the NCAA Division II
national runner-up in 1999.
Under Foley, Arkansas Tech also won 14 conference championships,
made six appearances in the NCAA Division II tournament and advanced to the
Division II Elite Eight twice.
Foley has earned many personal accolades during his career.
He has been named national coach of the year twice, region or district coach of
the year seven times, chosen to be on the 1994 United States Olympic Festival
coaching staff and was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame as a
member of the class of 2002.
Foley earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central
Arkansas in 1979. He is married to the former Chris Fields of Alpena,
Ark. and the couple has two children, C.J. and Miranda.
JOE FOLEY FILE
Career
Record: 586-165 in 22 seasons (78.0 winning percentage)
UALR
Record: 130-84 in 7 seasons (60.7 winning percentage)
2010
Sun Belt Coach of the Year
2010
Russell Athletic/WBCA Regional Coach of the Year
1
NCAA Appearance:2010
2
WNIT Appearances: 2008, 2009
3
Sun Belt Conference West Division Titles: 2008, 2009, 2010
Inducted
to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2002
11
All-Sun Belt Conference Selections
Back-to-Back
Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year
Ten
Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Selections
Five
Sun Belt All-Tournament Team Selections
Four-Straight
20-win Seasons at UALR
NAIA
National Champions: 1992, 1993
NCAA
Division II National Runner-up: 1999
NCAA
Division II South Region Championships (Elite Eight): 1998, 1999
The Jack Stephens...
Sign Up Now
