March 27, 2007
Atlanta – After leading the women’s basketball team to its best finish in school history, Georgia Tech head coach MaChelle Joseph was named the 2007 Whack Hyder State of Georgia Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year announced The Atlanta Tipoff Club Tuesday.
The Georgia Basketball Awards are given annually to the top men’s and women’s college basketball players and coaches in the state, as well as contributors to the game of basketball. Joseph is the only member of the Georgia Tech Athletic Association to receive one of the honors this year. Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Georgia Selection Committee, the winners will be honored at the annual Naismith Awards Banquet on April 5 at the World Congress Center.
“Each one of these winners had the same common denominator and that’s improving the quality and tradition of the game of basketball,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “They have all had exceptional seasons and careers, and should be proud of what they’ve accomplished.”
Joseph will also be honored by the United States Postal Service with the Sports Award at the inaugural “Women Putting their Stamp on Atlanta Luncheon” on Thursday, March 29.
In her fourth year as Georgia Tech’s head coach, Joseph coached the Jackets to a 21-12 finish, the best in school history, and the program’s first NCAA Tournament win, a 55-54 thriller over DePaul.
This season the Jackets earned their first winning record in Atlantic Coast Conference play, including wins over defending national champions and fourth-ranked Maryland and NC State. Tech’s 9-5 ACC record is seven wins better than last season and is the second-best turnaround in conference history.
Adding to her success on the court, Joseph and her staff signed a 2007 freshman recruiting class that ranks eight nationally and includes two of the nation’s top 20 players. This impressive class is Joseph’s second top-ten recruiting class in four years as head coach.
Joseph joined Georgia Tech as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under former head coach Agnus Berenato in 2001. After two years on the Flats, Joseph was hired as Tech’s fifth women’s basketball head coach on May 19, 2003. She holds a 62-56 overall record as a head coach.
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