Dyrol K. Joyner, 1981
B.A., Denison University
M.A., American University
Sports Anchor and Reporter
WPIX-TV and Fios1 Sports
New York
Citation awarded June, 2011
Dyrol Joyner’s job is the envy of sports fans everywhere. His love of sports included a four year career and letterman in basketball at Denison and a chance to play professionally in Europe. This experience has led to a very successful career in sports broadcasting. The fruits of his labor have earned him two Emmy awards which are the ultimate sign of accomplishment in the field of broadcasting.
Sports reporters often mirror the pattern of the sports teams they cover, with the most talented anchors frequently being courted by other stations. Dyrol’s career reflects that pattern. Some moves he engineered, some were forced on him. Through it all, he has maintained his professionalism as well as the respect of his peers.
He won his first Emmy in Washington, DC for hosting Bullets—Jam Session, a weekly highlight program featuring the Washington Bullets. His second Emmy came in 1995 as, Host at SportsChannel Chicago. That same year, he was highlighted in Ebony magazine’s 50th anniversary list of Best Bachelors Ever, alongside LL Cool J and Grant Hill. Ebony described him as “fluent in both French and Spanish, enjoys fine wine and fine dining, spends his leisure time playing golf, watching movies, and playing music.” But the piece de resistance was being the Chicago Bulls sideline reporter for three NBA Championship teams led by Michael Jordan. While working as a sports anchor for WEWS-TV in Cleveland in 2001, he was named as one of the best dressed professionals by the Cleveland Plain Dealer and was profiled by Cleveland Magazine, which noted he was widely recognized for his “trademark enthusiasm.”
Not only did Dyrol excel in his NBA experiences, he also patrolled the sidelines of the NFL for Fox Sports. In 2007, when he was hired at KENS-5 in San Antonio, the station’s president said, “Dyrol excels in all aspects of covering sports, including extensive experience covering some of the premier sports teams in the country, including the Jordan-era Chicago Bulls.” The KENS-5 news director added, “He brings years of solid experience covering sports in some of the nation’s largest sports markets, and has already won Emmy honors for his excellence in sports reporting.” In late 2009, Dyrol fell victim to economy-related layoffs at KENS-5 that even included some veterans of the station. He took the high road with his farewell letter, expressing his thanks to the station and the city of San Antonio for allowing him to be a part of their lives in the “Alamo City.”
Dyrol currently resides in Manhattan where he is a freelance sports anchor/reporter at WPIX-TV and Fios1 Sport.
For Denison, Dyrol has served on several reunion gift committees representing his class.
