The Roger Williams University Athletic Hall of Fame
Joel Dearing was instrumental in creating the Men’s Volleyball and Women’s Volleyball programs at Roger Williams and is a legend in the volleyball coaching community. He spent eight years as head coach of the Women’s Volleyball team and four years as head coach of the men’s program. Under his guidance, he led the women’s program to 143 victories, which is still most all-time by a Roger Williams Women’s Volleyball head coach. He also led the program to the 1989 ECAC Division III New England Championship. His men’s teams had a four-year record of 52-30-3, including winning the 1989 New England Division III Championship. In addition, he spent eight years as RWU’s Director of Athletics from 1980 to 1988. He ranks in the top ten all-time in Division III victories with 728 wins. He also received the 2006 AVCA Trailblazer Award for establishing the forerunner of the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship, the Molten Division III Men’s Invitational, as well as the 2013 Volleyball Hall of Fame Mintonette Medallion of Merit Award.
