Trailblazers: Joy Dillard
Joy Dillard was the epitome of a University of Arkansas Razorback Trailblazer. Not only was Dillard the first African American female basketball player, she was also on the roster of the first NCAA Lady Razorback team in 1976. The team found success immediately, going undefeated in Barnhill Arena (6-0) during its first year of play. Naturally, Dillard was excited when she got the call to be recognized as a Trailblazer in 2011.
Her path to NCAA athletics was unconventional. A flyer on campus prompted Dillard to try-out for the girls’ basketball team. While the University of Arkansas had an “extra-mural” female team since the 1950s, they weren’t an NCAA team until 1976. The most interesting part of the story is that Dillard had never played organized basketball before. “I played outside with the boys from the neighborhood, but never any league play,” she explained. Dillard had to learn plays for the first time, and drill to discipline her body movements.
Despite all of the new plays and training, Dillard was a force on the court at center. She tallied 381 career rebounds in 53 games ranking 31st all-time at Arkansas. Dillard led Arkansas to a 31-28 record including an 18-4 home record. Additionally, Dillard lettered every year she played.
Life as a student-athlete who was pre-med could not have been easy. “I just studied, practiced, then studied some more,” Dillard said. That’s why Dillard was happy to give back and tutor student-athletes while she was a student at the UA working on her PhD.
In February 2011, Dillard returned to Fayetteville to be honored by Razorback Athletics. Her return provided not only an opportunity to be recognized, but see the strides the Athletic Department had made to provide tutors and leadership programming to student-athletes.
The highlight of Dillard’s return was watching the Razorback women’s basketball team play. Attending a game and seeing how far they’ve come along had Dillard reflect on her time as a player. During her playing days, “the fans were all interested in the men’s team. We had to take a bus to away games while the men got to fly,” Dillard explained. She is happy to see that the Lady Razorbacks are treated much more fairly. She was particularly impressed with the upscale locker room, the promotion of the team, and the growth of the fan base. Dillard was also happy with the Trailblazer reception. She got to chat with old friends and touch base with members of the alumni association.
Dillard has certainly left a lasting legacy on campus. As a student, she found time to get involved in more than just studies and basketball. Dillard was a founding member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. chapter at the University of Arkansas, and was involved with the Mission Boulevard Baptist college program. In May 2013, Dillard passed away in Little Rock. She was a proud Razorback and a true pioneer for the University of Arkansas.
In honor of Black History Month, Razorback Athletics is honoring “Trailblazer” stories celebrating the success and accomplishments of some of the first African-American student-athletes in University of Arkansas history.
