Alan Joseph, who coached 18 All-Americans and two Olympians during a 20+ year career leading the Xavier rifle program, began as Morehead State's head rifle coach in 2014-15.

He was named OVC Coach of the Year in 2019, 2021 and 2022. During his tenure, student-athletes have earned 86 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. Seven Eagles were named all-conference, and Elizabeth Plecity was the program's first-ever OVC Freshman of the Year. The Eagles claimed the OVC Smallbore title in 2026, while Hayden Bell earned the individual Air Rifle title.

Morehead State achieved its then-highest finish at the OVC Championships in 2018-19, taking second while marking the second consecutive season Morehead State had finished second at the event. The Eagles also earned the highest national ranking in program history during the season, soaring to ninth.

The league also took notice of Morehead State's commitment to excellence, awarding the Eagles the OVC Team Sportsmanship Award in 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2021-22.

Senior Brandon Bryer and junior Alexa Potts qualified for the 2019 NCAA Championships, and Potts was named an All-American. Potts repeated as an Air Rifle All-American in 2020 and was also named CoSIDA Academic All-District. Bell became the third Eagle to shoot at the NCAA Championships under Joseph's tutelage when he went in 2024.

In Joseph's 12 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 for a majority of his seasons.

Rifle has won 10 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. That is the most awards for any team in any sport in conference history.

In addition, rifle has boasted five OVC Scholar-Athletes - Potts, Bryer, Amber Schifano, Bryce Ward and Bell - during Joseph's tenure. Lindy Nettleton was the fifth Eagle to be named Scholar-Athlete, earning it during previous head coach Walt Rybka's tenure. It marks the highest individual honor in the conference as only six are selected each year.

Since 2014 when Joseph started, more than 10 student-athletes have earned Academic All-District or All-American honors. The program has had 15+ overall student-athletes earn academic all-district or all-American accolades.
 
On the range, he has awarded numerous team members a spot in the Soaring Eagles Club, which includes shooting a 580 or better score in Smallbore in an NCAA event, carding a 590 or better in air rifle in competition or setting an individual school record.
 
Team-wise, MSU has improved its scoring average from year to year on both guns and overall. The 2025-26 team set the program records for best Air Rifle, Smallbore and Combined averages.
 
In Air Rifle, Morehead State has improved more than 60 points on average since 2014-15, and the Eagles are now 25+ points better in aggregate scoring since just five years ago.

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.
 
Rifle has also made a name for itself in community service efforts. The Eagles won the Penny Wars honor multiple years for raising the most amount of money to help send a veteran to the OVC Basketball Tournament – all with the fewest roster members of any team in the department.
 
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). Jason Parker competed in four Olympic Games, while Thrine Kane (who was a volunteer assistant for MSU) represented the United States at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia.
 
Joseph founded the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) in 1994 and served as the organization's first president. He served on the NCAA Rifle Committee from 1992-98 and helped Xavier become a founding member of the Great America Rifle Conference in 1997.
 
Joseph earned CRCA National Coach of the Year honors in 2000 and 2003 and National Rifle Association Coach of the Year accolades in 1991 and 2001.  He was inducted into the Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 21, 2015.
 
He competed collegiately at Xavier from 1976-80 and began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater from 1980-82.

Joseph earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1980 and received a master's degree in American history from Xavier in 1984.