Joe Lyles

Joe Lyles serves as a baseball coach during the fall season and is also an associate professor of physical education.

Lyles has served the University in numerous capacities since arriving on campus in September of 1959.  He was the soccer coach for 16 seasons (1959-75) and the baseball coach for 19 seasons (1960-78) and was an assistant basketball coach for nine seasons.  His soccer teams posted a 100-85-17 (.537) overall record, while his baseball teams went 108-229-3 (.322) overall.

In addition to coaching and teaching physical education, Lyles also served as club sports coordinator for many years.

Lyles originally attended St. Louis University, where he played both baseball and basketball.  He was a member of the 1949 NIT Championship basketball team.  Later, he received his bachelor and master's degrees from Springfield College.

Lyles left St. Louis University in 1949 to play professional baseball with the St. Louis Browns organization and he also played professional basketball with the St. Louis, Washington and Chicago organizations.  In 1952, he went on tour with the United States All-Stars, playing games around the globe against the Harlem Globetrotters.