The Joy Award – which was replaced by
The Legends Award – was the highest individual honor the Austin Peay athletics department awarded. The award was presented to male and female student-athlete determined to be the department's "Most Valuable Senior Athlete," recognizing a student-athlete's contributions throughout their career.
The award was originated in 1947 by the late Wilson Goodrich, then owner of Joy’s Jewelers. From 1947-96, one APSU senior athlete was honored each year. However, beginning in 1997 a male and female senior athlete, respectively, was honored by Joy’s and that continued through 2008. However, Joy’s Jewelers closed and ended sponsorship of the award following the 2007-08 season.
A permanent plaque display with recipients names is located in the Governors Club Room in the Dunn Center.
The first Joy Award recipient in 1947 was Dr. George Fisher, who also is a member of both the Austin Peay and Ohio Valley Conference Halls of Fame.
The Joy Award
|
| Season |
Recipient |
|
| 1946-47 |
George Fisher |
|
| 1947-48 |
Tom Lincoln |
|
| 1948-49 |
Louis Catignani |
|
| 1949-50 |
James Stone |
|
| 1950-51 |
L.E. Oakley |
|
| 1951-52 |
Dick Hays |
|
| 1952-53 |
Jim Odum |
|
| 1953-54 |
Jerry Robertson |
|
| 1954-55 |
Donnie Holmes |
|
| 1955-56 |
Al Tate Rogers |
|
| 1956-57 |
Joe Neal Grisham |
|
| 1957-58 |
Tom Morgan |
|
| 1958-59 |
Bob Monnet |
|
| 1959-60 |
Howard Gorrell |
|
| 1960-61 |
Jim Stewart |
|
| 1961-62 |
Bud Coley |
|
| 1962-63 |
Jackie Winders |
|
| 1963-64 |
Doug Stamper |
|
| 1964-65 |
Carlton Flatt |
|
| 1965-66 |
Rodney Rogers |
|
| 1966-67 |
John Ogles |
|
| 1967-68 |
Philip Fairinella and Jimmy Smith |
| 1968-69 |
Charlie Moore and Doug Pittenger |
| 1969-70 |
Howard Wright |
|
| 1970-71 |
Harold Roberts |
|
| 1971-72 |
Bill Blair |
|
| 1972-73 |
Eddie Childress and Bonnie Sloan |
| 1973-74 |
Noel Phillips |
|
| 1974-75 |
Lawrence Weiss |
|
| 1975-76 |
Anthony Carter |
|
| 1976-77 |
Gary Boss |
|
| 1977-78 |
Bob Bible |
|
| 1978-79 |
Pat Fogarty |
|
| 1979-80 |
Glenn Colivas and Chris Vinyard |
| 1980-81 |
Brett Williams |
|
| 1981-82 |
Joanne Arnold |
|
| 1982-83 |
Stacey Higgins |
|
| 1983-84 |
Lenny Manning |
|
| 1984-85 |
Sandy Cross |
|
| 1985-86 |
T.J. Kleynhans |
|
| 1986-87 |
Darryl B. Bedford |
|
| 1987-88 |
Craig Rudolph |
|
| 1988-89 |
Jane Goodson |
|
| 1989-90 |
Chris Polk |
|
| 1990-91 |
Shannon Peters |
|
| 1991-92 |
Randy McDermott |
|
| 1992-93 |
Isabel Canedo |
|
| 1993-94 |
Kevin Smith |
|
| 1994-95 |
Georgie Vaughn |
|
| 1995-96 |
Carrie Thompson |
|
| Season |
Men's Recipient |
Women's Recipient |
| 1996-97 |
Charles "Bubba" Wells |
Andrea Miller |
| 1997-98 |
Joe Sibbitt |
Amanda Behrenbrinker |
| 1998-99 |
Scott Niewland |
Julie Virta |
| 1999-00 |
Robert Powell |
Kim Smith |
| 2000-01 |
Trenton Hassell |
Ayesha Maycock |
| 2001-02 |
Dustin Wilson |
Sheena Gooding |
| 2002-03 |
A.J. Ellis |
Brooke Armistead |
| 2003-04 |
Rhet Wierzba |
Jennifer Adcock |
| 2004-05 |
Ryan Taylor |
Cassandra Peek |
| 2005-06 |
Zac Schlader |
Ashley Haynes |
| 2006-07 |
Shawn Kelley |
Adonia Bivens |
| 2007-08 |
Grant Leaver |
Virginia Penner |
