Former Memphis women’s basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis named to Memphis Sports Hall of Fame
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Former Memphis women’s basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis named to Memphis Sports Hall of Fame
Joye Lee-McNelis was named the first member of the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. The rest of the class will be announced “in the coming weeks,” according to a press release. The formal induction ceremony will be held in October at the Renasant Convention Center. She recently retired from coaching after spending the past 21 seasons as women’s basketball coach at Southern Miss. She guided Memphis to 229 victories during her tenure, making her the second-winningest coach (behind Mary Lou Johns) in program history.. Her career coaching record stands at 568-464 (.550) over 34 seasons.
Lee-McNelis coached the Tigers for 13 seasons, leading them to four NCAA tournament appearances and is still the program’s second-winningest coach.
Former Memphis women’s basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis was announced June 23 as the first member of the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.
The rest of the class will be announced “in the coming weeks,” according to a press release. The formal induction ceremony will be held in October at the Renasant Convention Center.
Lee-McNelis recently retired from coaching after spending the past 21 seasons as women’s basketball coach at Southern Miss, her alma mater.
“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized by the Memphis Sports Hall of Fame,” Lee-McNelis said in a prepared statement. “Memphis was more than a job − it was a family. The players, the fans, and the city made it a place where we built something special together. I’m grateful for every moment and memory.”
Lee-McNelis spent 13 seasons at Memphis, leading the Tigers to four NCAA tournament appearances and four WNIT berths. She guided Memphis to 229 victories during her tenure, making her the second-winningest coach (behind Mary Lou Johns) in program history. She and Johns are the only Tigers coaches to win at least one NCAA tournament game. Under Lee-McNelis, Memphis defeated Southern California at the NCAA East Regional. She was also a finalist for National Coach of the Year in 1995.
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The Tigers won four straight regular-season conference championships with Lee-McNelis at the helm, as well as a pair of conference tournament titles.
Former Memphis star Tamika Whitmore, a 2023 Memphis Sports Hall of Fame inductee, played for Lee-McNelis. She is one of only two former Tigers to play in the WNBA. LaTonya Johnson, who also played for Lee-McNelis is the other.
“She pushed us hard, but she always believed in us even more,” Whitemore said in a statement. “Coach McNelis changed my life − on and off the court. I’m proud to see her legacyhonored in the city where she gave so much.”
Lee-McNelis amassed 339 victories during her time as coach at Southern Miss. Her career coaching record stands at 568-464 (.550) over 34 seasons.
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