MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State Rifle Head CoachÂ
Alan Joseph will continue to lead the program as he has inked a contract extension through the 2027-28 season.
Joseph was named OVC Coach of the Year in 2019, 2021 and 2022. During his tenure, student-athletes have earned 79 all-conference awards. Joseph led the Eagles to the program's first-ever Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2019-20, winning the Smallbore and overall titles.
"I am very happy to continue at MSU as a part of the Eagle Athletic Team and Family," said Joseph. "I have great colleagues and an administration which supports me. My student athletes - past, present, and future - are my inspiration."
The league has taken notice of Morehead State's commitment to excellence, awarding the Eagles the OVC Team Sportsmanship Award in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2021-22.
Three of Joseph's student-athletes have qualified for an NCAA Championship during his time leading the program.
In Joseph's 11 seasons, more than 50 Eagles have earned spots on the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and more than 50 have been bestowed the Scholastic All-American accolade from the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association. Rifle also has one of the best team grade point averages among all teams since Joseph arrived, earning a 3.50 or better for six consecutive seasons. In addition, the rifle program has won the department's fundraising competition, Penny Wars, numerous times.
Rifle has won nine consecutive team academic achievement awards from the Ohio Valley Conference for having the greatest percentage of its total roster in a given year on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll. In addition, rifle has boasted five OVC Scholar-Athletes - Alexa Potts, Brandon Bryer,
Amber Schifano, Bryce Ward and
Hayden Bell - during Joseph's tenure. Since 2014 when Joseph started, eight student-athletes have earned Academic All-District or All-American honors.Â
Team-wise, MSU has improved its scoring average from year to year on both guns and overall. The 2022-23 team set the program record for highest Air Rifle season average. In Air Rifle, Morehead State has improved 68 points on average since 2014-15, and the Eagles are now more than 100 points better in aggregate scoring in recent years. The 2025-26 squad is shooting the highest average (with the spring season remaining) in program history for aggregate. Several MSU rifle athletes have also qualified to take part in the Junior Olympics and the USA Shooting National Championships in conjunction with USA Shooting.
Joseph, who led Xavier from its inception as an NCAA program in 1982 until its affiliation was discontinued in 2005, guided the Musketeers to 14 consecutive top-10 finishes. His teams finished among the NCAA's final four every year from 2000-03. He continued to lead Xavier as a club program until it was disbanded in 2008. He led the Musketeers to the NCAA Air Rifle National Championship in 1996 and coached Karyn Juziuk to the NCAA Smallbore Title in 1998. Xavier student-athletes competed at the NCAA Championship 18 consecutive seasons. Joseph coached at least one All-American for 16 straight seasons (1990-2005).
He competed collegiately at Xavier from 1976-80 and began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater from 1980-82.
