Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

The highlight of Kerri McIntyre Joyce’s distinguished distance-running career at IUP came in 1998, when she finished eighth at the NCAA Division II cross country meet in Lawrence, Kan., to earn All-America honors. She covered the 6,000-meter distance in 22 minutes, 9 seconds, the best time for any competitor from a Northeast Region school.

Joyce was IUP’s top finisher in every race that season. In addition to her All-America citation, she was named a Division II Cross Country Coaches Association Academic All-American for the second time and earned a second All-PSAC honor.

Leading up to nationals, Joyce finished sixth at the PSAC meet, helping coach Ed Fry’s team place third, and then finished sixth at regionals. IUP placed third at the regional meet behind only national powers Edinboro and Shippensburg.

Joyce’s eighth-place performance at the NCAA meet paved the way for IUP to finish ninth as a team, still the third-best finish by IUP at nationals. The Indians, as they were then known, were seeded 17th coming into the competition

Joyce came to IUP from North Penn High School, where she celebrated a PIAA track title as a member of the Knights’ 4x800 relay quartet as well as a team championship. She also earned third-place medals in the 800 and 4x400 relay. Joyce continued to thrive at IUP, winning PSAC titles in the 800 in 1998 and 1999 and joining Kate McCulloch, Sarah Carber and Melanie Sensenig to win the 4x400 relay both years. They set a school and PSAC record in 1999, breaking the tape in 3 minutes, 53.49 seconds.

Joyce earned a natural science degree from IUP in 1999 and graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005. She works as an osteopathic obstetrician/gynecologist for Premier Women’s Health in Pittsburgh. Joyce and her husband, Richard, a 1997 IUP grad, live in the Pittsburgh suburb of Ross Township with their three children: Robert, 17; Brigid, 13; and Maura, 11.
 

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Personal Reflection: 

First of all, thank you to my parents and family as well as my teammates and friends for being here today. I also want to thank IUP athletics for this tremendous honor. I would also like to send a special thank you to my husband, who I met at IUP through running. He has always been a tremendous support to me and always there to cheer me on.  

When I started running in high school, I really could not have imagined this. By high school, running for North Penn, our team success inspired me to dream of running in college. However, I did not have all the resources to fulfill those dreams until I met Coach [Ed] Fry. He gave me the best opportunity. And, I truly mean the best opportunity. 

With a college-age kid of my own, I now better understand what a true opportunity looks like. IUP gave me a first-class education that allowed me to proceed to graduate school and medical school. I had the chance to forge lifelong friendships. I also had the support to compete in cross country and track. I even enjoy these sports today now that my daughters are competing. I will always look back at those times and think fondly of coach Ed Fry. He turned into a great mentor and friend. You are truly missed, Fry Guy! 

In the end, while I am proud and appreciative of this accomplishment, the greatest thing I have received from IUP was a foundation for the resources that would provide for the rest of my life. So, I thank IUP athletics for this honor, and I thank the entire IUP community for what it has meant to me, and what IUP continues to provide for working-class kids in Pennsylvania and beyond. I am honored to have my name forever associated with IUP.