THE McCORVEY FILE

Personal Information

Name: Joy McCorvey
Birthday: July 15, 1988
Hometown: Brewton, Ala.
High School: T.R. Miller
Education: B.S. (Childhood Ed.), St. John’s, 2010

Basketball Experience

OVERALL

Record as a college assistant is 286-143 in 13 seasons
Has helped programs to 12 postseason appearances (8 NCAA/4 WNIT)
On Michigan’s staff for 2017 WNIT Championship

TENNESSEE

Assistant Coach (2021-24)
Three-year record: 70-34
Three postseason appearances (3 NCAA)
2022 & 2023 NCAA Sweet 16
Named one of the "Most Impactful High Major Assistant Coaches in DI Women's Basketball" by Silver Waves Media in 2022
Ranked No. 13 by The Athletic in 2024 among assistant coaches ready to run their own DI programs

FLORIDA STATE

Associate Head Coach (2020-21)
Assistant Coach (2018-20)
Three-year record: 58-26
Served on Sue Semrau’s staff
Two postseason appearances (2 NCAA)
2020 ACC Tournament runner-up

MICHIGAN

Assistant Coach (2012-18)
Six-year record: 134-73
Served on Kim Barnes Arico’s staff
Six postseason appearances (2 NCAA/4 WNIT)
Won 2017 WNIT Championship

ST. JOHN'S

Assistant Coach (2011-12)
One-year record: 24-10
Served on Kim Barnes Arico’s staff
One postseason appearance (NCAA)
Made 2012 NCAA Sweet 16
Ended UConn’s 99-game home win streak

A rising star in the profession, the 2023-24 campaign was Joy McCorvey's third year at Tennessee and her 13th season in the college coaching ranks. Her résumé features 12 seasons of 20+ wins. In every campaign except 2020, when COVID-19 forced a halt to competition, those teams went on to postseason play.

In June of 2022, McCorvey's reputation in the world of women's hoops earned her attention as one of the "Most Impactful High Major Assistant Coaches in Division I Women's Basketball by Silver Waves Media. In January 2024, The Athletic rated her No. 13 among assistants who are ready to run their own DI programs.

Arriving in Knoxville in 2021-22 after being hired by Kellie Harper, Tennessee was 25-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC that season, finishing third in the SEC and advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. In 2022-23, the Lady Vols were 25-12 overall and 13-3 in the SEC, again third in the league, advancing to the SEC Tournament title game and returning to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Lady Vols recorded 25 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15, and they reached 13 SEC victories for the initial occasion since 2014-15. In addition to advancing to their first SEC Tourney title game since 2015, the Lady Vols made repeat Sweet 16 appearances for the initial time since 2014-15 and 2015-16 and were one of only seven schools to do so during those two campaigns.

In 2023-24, Tennessee was hit by untimely and devastating injuries that stymied the team's momentum, resulting in a 20-13 overall mark and 10-6 record in the league (t4th) against a schedule rated the toughest in the nation. Still, the Big Orange managed a tie for fourth in the SEC, an appearance in at least the SEC semifinals for the fourth straight year and a 42nd-consecutive berth in the NCAA Tournament.

During McCorvey’s time in Knoxville, she helped coach three WNBA first-round picks in Rae Burrell (2022), Jordan Horston (2023) and Rickea Jackson (2024). Those players joined Rennia Davis (2021) in becoming the first Lady Vol first-round picks in four consecutive years in program history.

Horston (2022 & 2023 AP/WBCA) and Rickea Jackson (2023 AP/USBWA/WBCA & 2024 AP/USBWA/WBCA) also were All-America Honorable Mention selections under McCorvey's watch.

At the league level, McCorvey helped coach All-SEC First-Teamers Horston (2022, 2023) and Jackson (2023, 2024); All-SEC Second-Teamer Tamari Key (2022); SEC All-Defensive Team member Key (2022); SEC All-Freshman Team honoree Sara Puckett (2022); and SEC All-Tournament Team members Dye (2022), Horston (2023) and Jackson (2023, 2024).

In the classroom, 17 Lady Vols earned a combined 30 SEC Academic Honor Roll recognitions during her three years in Knoxville. A program-best 12 of 14 Lady Vols made the honor roll in 2021-22, while nine (of 14) made it in 2023-24 and nine (of 15) in 2022-23.

With McCorvey's help, high school recruits and players in the transfer portal were drawn to a program headed by a head coach with valuable experiences as a player who reached the pinnacle at the all-time winningest program in women’s college basketball history. She also aided in attracting seven players through the transfer portal, including key contributors Jackson, Jillian Hollingshead, Jasmine Powell and Jasmine Franklin in 2022 and the nation’s No. 6 ranked portal class in 2023 by 247Sports in Jewel Spear, Destinee Wells, Avery Strickland and Talaysia Cooper. No. 35 espnW 100 class of 2024 prep recruit Kaniya Boyd also joined the program in January 2024 as a mid-year enrollee.

McCorvey came to the Lady Vol program after spending the previous three seasons at Florida State on Sue Semrau’s staff. When Semrau took leave for the 2020-21 campaign to care for her ailing mother, McCorvey was elevated to associate head coach.

At FSU, McCorvey played a key role in both player development and recruiting for the Seminoles. In 2020-21, she was instrumental in the rapid development of Morgan Jones, personally coaching and helping mold the 6-foot-2 guard into one of the best players in the ACC. Jones averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, shot 45.4 percent from the floor and tied for the team lead with 23 steals in a career year where she took an enormous step, earning All-ACC First Team honors, ACC All-Defensive Team accolades and WBCA All-America Honorable Mention acclaim.

McCorvey also made direct contributions in 2019-20. Her efforts were key in the rise of All-America forward Kiah Gillespie, who finished a tremendous two-year run with FSU by averaging 15.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and shooting 45.1 percent from the floor. The development of freshman center River Baldwin also was evident in 2019-20, as she won ACC Rookie of the Week twice.

With McCorvey handling the team’s recruiting efforts and low-post play, Florida State made large strides in both areas under her watch. The Seminoles’ 2019 signing class consisted of five-star players Baldwin and Sammie Puisis as well as top-20 post player London Clarkson. The 2021 group included four-star prospects in point guard O’Mariah Gordon and forwards Makayla Timpson and Mariana Valenzuela.

Gillespie and Valencia Myers enjoyed standout seasons in 2018-19 under the guidance of McCorvey. Gillespie earned WBCA All-America honors and grabbed a spot on the All-ACC Team. Myers, in her first season, made the All-ACC Freshmen Team and emerged as one of the nation’s most feared shot blockers with 54 rejections.

McCorvey played a big role in helping coach a Seminole squad that had to replace its entire starting five in 2018-19 to a 24-9 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the ACC. Despite entering the year with a majority of new faces and depleted depth due to injuries, FSU was able to make its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 15 seasons.

Prior to her stint in Tallahassee, McCorvey helped elevate the Michigan women’s basketball program during her six seasons in Ann Arbor, assisting her college head coach Kim Barnes Arico in that endeavor. The Wolverines made six postseason appearances during that time, including the capturing of the 2017 WNIT title.

One of her responsibilities during her time at Michigan was the development of the post players, helping pave the way for a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance for the Wolverines in 2017-18. Michigan led the Big Ten that season in rebound margin at +8.5 per game, a statistic in which Florida State also excelled.

A special 2016-17 season in which Michigan set its program mark with 28 wins included helping former post player Cyesha Goree receive her second consecutive All-Big Ten Second Team honor. McCorvey’s established résumé also includes coaching five different players to eight All-Big Ten honors.

A standout player at St. John’s from 2006-10, McCorvey was hired at her alma mater for the 2011-12 season and spent a year on Barnes Arico’s staff there prior to making the move to Michigan.

McCorvey worked primarily with the post players and helped guide the Red Storm to a 24-10 overall record and a second-place finish in the final BIG EAST Conference standings with a 13-3 league record. The Red Storm, which upset UConn on Feb. 19, 2012, 57-56, and ended the Huskies' 99-game home winning streak, made its third straight NCAA berth and advanced to the program's first Sweet 16 appearance.

Before entering the coaching ranks, McCorvey made a name for herself as one of the Red Storm's finest leaders, both on and off the court, during her four years as a student-athlete. She was instrumental in lifting St. John's into the national spotlight, leading the team to three postseason runs. As a senior in 2009-10, McCorvey was part of one of Barnes Arico's most successful teams, as the Red Storm finished with a 25-7 overall record and advanced to the Second Round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

A captain at St. John's, she was a three-time Big East All-Academic Team selection (2007-10), a top 30 candidate for the 2010 Lowe's® Senior CLASS Award, a member of St. John's University's prestigious President's Society and was the 2008 recipient of the St. John's University Marianne Noonan Memorial. She earned a bachelor’s in childhood education from St. John’s in 2010.

The native of Brewton, Alabama, and graduate of T.R. Miller High School, is just one of four St. John's players to amass more than 700 points and 700 rebounds.