It was a brief but stunning announcement Friday afternoon as Stephen Joyner Sr. announced his retirement as Johnson C. Smith’s men’s basketball coach.
“It was a great run here at Smith,” Joyner said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, published by the university’s official account. “The Gold and Blue runs deep in me and I will always cherish the memories.”
After 36 years at the helm, Coach Stephen Joyner, Sr. is transitioning from his position as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at #JCSU. “It was a great run here at Smith.”
His love for JCSU is undeniable: “The Gold and Blue runs deep in me and I will forever cherish the memories…” pic.twitter.com/i50mNXaotI— Johnson C. Smith U. (@JCSUniversity) March 22, 2024
Joyner, a standout guard for the Golden Bulls in the early 70s, took over as head coach prior to the 1987-88 season after serving as women’s basketball coach the previous six seasons, including an NCAA Division II tournament appearance in 1985.
Joyner won exactly 600 games as men’s basketball coach, with the milestone victory coming in what turned out to be his final home game, 80-74 over Claflin on Feb. 24. The Golden Bulls were eliminated in the first round of the CIAA tournament by Virginia State 66-56 on Feb. 28.
Joyner also served as athletic director at Smith before stepping away from that position last May.
