Hall of Fame
Stan Joplin excelled in basketball as a four-year letter winner for the Rockets from 1976-1979. After playing in 25 games during his freshman year, Joplin became starter as a sophomore and led the team to three consecutive 20-win seasons and a share of the MAC championship in 1979. He finished his career as the UT record holder for career assist (428), assist in one season (175) and games played (109). An all-around player, Joplin saw time at point guard, off-guard and small forward for teams that went 82-27 during his career. The work ethic that made him a threat for opposing teams extended into the classroom where he was recognized as Academic All-MAC in 1977. Rocket coach Bob Nicholas said "He really does not have a weakness." Joplin played a key role in several memorable UT victories, two of which are among the greatest in Rocket history. He scored a career-high 21 points in the first game ever played in Centennial Hall, a 59-57 upset of defending national champion Indiana and later culminated a four-year career in a singe glorious shot. As a senior, Joplin led the Rockets to the NCAA tournament and sank a top of the key jumper at the buzzer to lift the Rockets to a 74-72 upset of Big Ten co-champion Iowa. After graduating from the College of Education in 1979, Joplin began coaching at the high school level, first as an assistant and later as a head coach. He served as an assistant coach at Kent State University for two years before accepting a position as a Rocket assistant in 1984. A member of the UT coaching staff for six years, Joplin earned a master of administration degree from UT in 1990.
