Missouri State University

JOANIE FRENCH
Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Track & Field, 1974-78
Inducted May 4, 1986

Joanie French was a four-sport standout at SMS from 1974 to 1978. Her senior year at SMS, she won the A.J. McDonald Award for outstanding academic and athletic achievement.  Playing volleyball for coach Linda Dollar, French and her teammates compiled the best four-year record in school history from 1974 to 1977 when the Bears compiled a record of 216-25-11. SMS won the state and regional tournament all four years and twice finished seventh in the AIAW National Championship and finished ninth one year. French went on to be a member of the U.S. National Volleyball team in 1978-79.  In basketball, French helped the Bears to the Missouri State Championship during the 1974-75 season.  She also played professionally for the Dallas Diamonds from 1979 to 1981. In 1981 and 1982, French was a member of the English National Championship basketball team and was a participant in the European Cup.  French also played softball for three years and and qualified for the national track meet in the high jump as a sophomore.  In 1981, French was named the Outstanding Young Woman of Missouri and was also the first female inducted into the Parkview High School Hall of Fame in 1974.