Joial Griffith is in her first season as the Pepperdine women's basketball assistant coach in 2022-23.
“Joi is a great addition to our staff,” said head coach Kristen Dowling at the time of Griffith's hiring. “She is great at skill development and relationship building. Our players will quickly love her and can’t wait for the season to get started.”
Griffith comes to Pepperdine from Whitworth University, an NCAA Division III school located in Spokane, Wash., where she was the head coach of the women’s basketball team for the past four seasons. She became the head coach in 2018-19. At the helm of the Pirates’ program, Griffith guided the Pirates to a 41-42 record and two fourth-place finishes in the Northwest Conference through four seasons.
“I'm excited to join the Waves family. I'd like to thank Coach Dowling for the opportunity to join her incredible staff and learn from them in this top-notch environment and university,” said Griffith. “It is a blessing to return to Southern California and work with Kristen again. I'm excited to get to know the student-athletes and help Coach Dowling and staff fulfill her vision in leading these student-athletes to success on and off the court. I’m grateful to be a part of the Pepperdine community. Let's get to work!”
Prior to Whitworth, Griffith spent one season as an assistant coach with Williams College (Mass.) Ephs’ women’s basketball program, where she helped guide them to a 12-13 2017-18 season, and two close losses to eventual national champion Amherst.
Before Griffith ventured into the East Coast, she was the assistant women’s basketball coach for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for three seasons beginning in the 2015-16 season, under Dowling who was in her third year at the helm of the CMS women’s basketball program. Together, Dowling and Griffith guided the Athenas to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 and 2017.
Griffith began her coaching career as a graduate assistant from her alma mater Concordia University in Irvine, California, in 2011. She was a two-year player for the Eagles and graduated from Concordia in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In 2011, she received her master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration. She also went on to have assistant coaching stints at Canyon High School during the 2013-14 season and at Mendocino College in the 2014-15 season.
