Aggies jump for Joy as new baseball head coach

GOODWELL, Okla. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University Athletics is proud to announce veteran collegiate coach Shawn Joy as its new head baseball coach. Joy comes to the Aggies from NCAA Division II University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, where he was an assistant coach.

“I am so excited to have Shawn join the Aggie Family,” Panhandle State President Dr. Tim Faltyn said. “Shawn has good breadth of knowledge and experience, especially in recruiting, which will be a great benefit to our growing program. He has an enthusiasm and love for the game that will, no doubt, translate over to the young men in our program.”

At UAFS (2018-19), Joy was primarily responsible for pitchers, catchers and recruiting, while also organizing camps and clinics. He had similar duties at Washburn University (2015-18), while concurrently serving as the pitching coach of the San Diego Force in the National Baseball Congress Tournament in 2016. From 2012-15, Joy was the pitching coach, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for Independence Community College in Kansas. He was also an assistant coach (2010-11) at Cloud County Community College, as well as a volunteer assistant coach at both Jefferson West High School (2010) and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (2009).

“Coach Joy is going to be an excellent addition to our coaching staff and University,” OPSU Director of Athletics Meghan Mulcahy said. “I think he will bring an exciting brand of baseball to the Aggies, as well as a commitment to the development of our young men, as both players and as individuals.”

Joy has coached players to 24 all-conference honors and four all-region recognitions, including MIAA Pitcher of the Year Nick Silva. Among those was catcher David Gaunt of Washburn University, a 18^th round pick of the Miami Marlins in 2016, and outfielder Logan Allen of USAF, a 14^th round selection by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019. Riley Krane and Javon Rigsby also signed professional contracts after their time under Joy’s tutelage.

As far as his own playing experience goes, after two seasons each at SIU-Carbondale – where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in recreation in 2009 – and two years at Cloud County C.C. before that, Joy played minor league ball for the New York Yankees’ affiliate in the Gulf Coast League. He also spent a season with the Traverse City Beach Bums and two years with the Southern Illinois Miners, both of the independent Frontier League. In 2012, he was a member of the Quebec Capitales (Can-Am League) in Canada.

“We are very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be here at OPSU,” Joy stated. “Thank you to Dr. Faltyn and (Director of Athletics) Meghan Mulcahy for the chance to join the athletic department.

“We will compete on the field, in the classroom and in the community. We look forward to making Aggies Baseball something that the alumni, university and community can be proud of.”

Joy and his wife Maegan have one daughter (Charlotte).