Joy Couch Garners High School Coach of the Year Honor

Converse College athletic director Joy Couch has been named the 2007 Russell Athletic/WBCA National High School Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). This year marks the 18th year that this accolade has been presented, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1990.

Couch was named athletic director at Converse after serving as physical education teacher, department chair and girls basketball coach at Dorman High School (Spartanburg, SC) where she led the Cavaliers to three AAAA state championship victories and won the regional championship every year. Couch served as an assistant coach for the white team during the 2005 WBCA High School All-America Game.

“We are honored as an association to announce the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA National High School Coach of the Year as Joy Couch,” said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. “She has worked hard to enhance women’s basketball at the grassroots level and we look forward to continued success as Joy furthers her career in athletics.”

Couch accumulated a career record of 525-184 and has been awarded numerous honors throughout her coaching career. She is a two-time South Carolina Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year, named Coach of the Year by Spartanburg Herald-Journal numerous times, and was named South Carolina High School Coach of the Year in 1990, 2003 and 2004.

"Russell Athletic is proud to support the winners of the WBCA Coach of the Year Awards. Just like these individuals, for those who have what it takes on the inside, Russell has what it takes on the outside,” said Chris Passarell, senior director of marketing, Russell Athletic.