UMass Boston

It can be argued that for three years, Bill Joyce was the heartand soul of the Boston State College football team's defense. Joyceemerged during his sophomore season, registering over 100 tacklesas a team captain in a season that saw him make the switch fromsafety to linebacker due to an injury. He was named the Warriors'Most Valuable Player and recipient of the team's Ross O'HanleyMemorial Award, while earning Second Team All-New England honors aswell as a spot on the New England Football Conference All-Starsquad. This trend would continue as Joyce returned to the defensivebackfield and racked up over 100 tackles the next two seasons,while being named Boston State's MVP and being picked a First TeamNEFC selection as well as a First Team All-New England player. Healso picked off 10 passes during his career to tie for the schoolrecord and gave basketball a shot as a senior, averaging 7.0 pointsper game prior to his graduation from BSC. Following his graduationfrom Boston State in 1979, he was able to try out for the NationalFootball League's New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs, aswell as, the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Helater went on to play semi-pro football for the Hyde Park Cowboysand New England Raiders and was defensive MVP from 1981-85 and anEFL All-Star six times. Joyce entered the coaching ranks and wasUMass Boston's Defensive Coordinator from 1985-90, helping theBeacons evolve from a club program to a varsity team and also spenttime in Ireland promoting the game of football for the New EnglandRaiders. Joyce served as the Defensive Coordinator for CatholicMemorial High School in 1995-96 and again in 2004-05. The 1990s sawJoyce take over as the Commissioner of the Hyde Park Men's Winterand Summer Basketball League, a post he would hold from 1990-2003in conjunction with serving as a consultant and Assistant AthleticDirector of the West Roxbury Community Center from 1998-2003. Joycewas honored for his semi-pro football accomplishments with aninduction into the American Football Association Semi-Pro FootballHall of Fame in 2003.