Joe Foley named women's basketball coach
April 16, 2003
The
University of Arkansas at Little Rock has named Joe Foley as its women's
basketball coach, the school announced today.
Foley comes to UALR after building one of the top women's basketball
programs at any level in the nation at Arkansas Tech.
Foley spent the last
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.
“We have seen a growing enthusiasm and support for
women's basketball across the country and we believe the addition of
Coach Joe Foley to our athletics staff will help us capture that spirit
for our program,” said UALR Chancellor Joel E. Anderson.
”The university and athletic department are
thrilled to have Joe Foley as its new head women's basketball coach,”
UALR Athletic Director Chris Peterson said.
“We feel very fortunate to have a coach of Joe's caliber taking
over the helm of the women's basketball program.
His record and past success speaks for it self.”
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 men's 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 built 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.
Last season Foley led Arkansas Tech to a 29-4 overall
record, won the Gulf South Conference West Division championship with a
record of 14-2 and won the Gulf South Tournament championship. Foley
was named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association NCAA Division II
region coach of the year.
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, 47, 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.
