WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. – It is now official -- former Eph two-sport standout (softball and ice hockey)
Joey Lye (#5 above) has been named to the 15-member Team Canada Softball Team that will compete in the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Softball is a demonstration sport at the Tokyo Olympics and softball will not be played at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Lye was first contacted by an Eph ice hockey coach and when she developed an interest in Williams because its academic reputation and the chance to play ice hockey, she asked if playing softball for the Ephs would be possible as she had played both sports every year from age eight on in Scarborough, Canada.
All four years at Williams Lye played ice hockey as a defenseman and in softball she played a variety of positions.
She set five all-time Eph softball records during her time in The Purple Valley:
Batting Average: .457
Runs Scored: 150
Hits: 211
Total Bases: 267
Stolen Bases: 62
In 2008 she was named an NFCA All-American and in 2009 she led NCAA DIII in batting average: .563
Shortly before graduating from Williams in June of 2009, Lye was surprised to hear from her parents that
they had signed her up for the 2009 Team Canada Softball tryouts. Lye made it to the final day of cuts with Team Canada Softball in 2009, but did not make the team. She headed back to Williams to serve as an assistant women's ice hockey and assistant softball coach. Lye worked tirelessly to prepare for the 2010 Team Canada tryouts and she made the team and has been a mainstay on a team that has captured gold, silver, and bronze medals playing in international tournaments.
All the time Lye was competing for Team Canada after making the team in 2010, she has been coaching collegiately in the U.S. either in both ice hockey and softball or most recently serving as the head coach of softball at NCAA DI Bucknell University. Lye resigned her position at Bucknell to fully focus on making the Canadian team that would compete in Tokyo.
Asked her feelings on being chosen to play in the Tokyo Olympics Lye said, "It means the absolute world to me to represent Canada this summer in Tokyo. It's been 13 years since softball was played on the Olympic stage. To be one of the fifteen Canadians (and one of ninety athletes) to have the honor of representing softball this summer is indescribable.
"Being on this journey has provided endless opportunities for my teammates and I and also means we have missed some moments along the way. I want to take a moment to truly thank my wife Baillie, my family, and my friends for understanding and supporting my absences, while also going above and beyond to help in any way they could. It really does take a village.
