Joey Estrella joined the Vulcan softball staff in 2017 as an assistant coach after wearing a baseball and administrative hat for many years.
He holds the longest tenure out of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo staff having led the baseball program from 1976 until his retirement in 2013 — also serving as interim assistant athletics director for external affairs and assistant athletics director for community engagement.
Estrella was the Vulcans Baseball program's first head coach, amassing a 657-935-5 record in 37 seasons while helping transition from NAIA (1977-1993) and NCAA Division I (1994-2008) to NCAA Division II (2009-present). On his final day as baseball head coach — a doubleheader sweep of Academy of Art — April 13, 2013 was proclaimed "Coach Joey Estrella Day" by the State of Hawai‘i and "Joey Estrella Day" by the County of Hawai‘i.
When named head coach of the baseball program, Estrella also served as an assistant coach for the men's basketball program for four seasons. In 2017, Estrella was inducted into the Hawai‘i Hilo Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the 1976-77 Vulcans Men's Basketball team, the first year of four-year college competition.
As a competitor, Estrella was a standout multi-sport athlete at St. Joseph High School, Hawai‘i Hilo and UH Manoa.
In addition to assisting the Vulcans Softball program, Estrella serves as public address announcer for Vulcans Volleyball, Basketball and Baseball home games.
in 2025, Estrella was inducted into the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.
ESTRELLA VULCANS BASEBALL
| SEASON |
RECORD |
NOTES |
| 1977 |
0-6 Overall |
|
| 1978 |
9-9 Overall |
|
| 1979 |
21-27 Overall |
NAIA District II |
| 1980 |
25-19 Overall |
NAIA District II
Career Win No. 50
|
| 1981 |
29-11 Overall |
NAIA District II |
| 1982 |
26-14 Overall |
NAIA District II
Career Win No. 100
|
| 1983 |
41-10 Overall |
NAIA District II
NAIA Area I |
| 1984 |
32-13 Overall |
NAIA District II |
| 1985 |
30-22 Overall |
NAIA District II
Career Win No. 200
|
| 1986 |
27-15 Overall |
NAIA Area I
NAIA World Series |
| 1987 |
20-19 Overall |
NAIA Area I
NAIA World Series |
| 1988 |
28-15 Overall |
NAIA Area I |
| 1989 |
28-17-1 Overall |
NAIA Area I
NAIA World Series
Career Win No. 300
|
| 1990 |
21-16 Overall |
|
| 1991 |
15-17 Overall |
|
| 1992 |
20-16 Overall |
|
| 1993 |
15-29-1 Overall |
|
| 1994 |
11-29 Overall |
|
| 1995 |
21-26-1 Overall |
Career Win No. 400 |
| 1996 |
14-31 Overall |
|
| 1997 |
17-30-1 Overall |
|
| 1998 |
16-34 Overall |
|
| 1999 |
9-37 Overall |
|
| 2000 |
17-34 Overall |
|
| 2001 |
6-44 Overall |
|
| 2002 |
5-45 Overall |
Career Win No. 500 |
| 2003 |
9-38 Overall |
|
| 2004 |
9-43 Overall |
|
| 2005 |
6-35 Overall |
|
| 2006 |
15-34 Overall |
|
| 2007 |
12-35-1 Overall |
|
| 2008 |
17-27 Overall |
|
| 2009 |
20-21 Overall |
|
| 2010 |
18-27 Overall |
Career Win No. 600 |
| 2011 |
21-25 Overall |
|
| 2012 |
15-33 Overall |
|
| 2013 |
12-32 Overall |
|
| 37 Seasons |
657-935-5 Overall |
-
- |
COACHING CAREER
» 657-935-5 record in 37 seasons as the Vulcans Baseball program's first head coach (1976-2013)
» (2x) NAIA Area I Coach of the Year (1986, 1989)
» 1986 NAIA District 29 Coach of the Year
» 11 consecutive winning seasons from 1980-1990 with a 307-171-1 record
» (3x) NAIA World Series Appearances (1986, 1987, 1989)
» (5x) NAIA District II Championships
» 2017 Hawai‘i Hilo Athletics Hall of Fame (1976-77 Men's Basketball)
PLAYING CAREER
» Spent three seasons with Hawai‘i Hilo Basketball (1969-1972)
» Spent one season with Hawai‘i Hilo Men's Golf (1971)
» (2x) UH Hilo Most Outstanding Athlete (1969-70, 1970-71)
» Spent three seasons with UH Manoa Baseball under legendary coach Les Murakami (1972-1974)
» First UH Manoa Jack Bonham Award Recipient (1974)
» 1969 Big Island Baseball Athlete/Sportsman of the Year
» HS Basketball Honors: All-BIIF First Team, State Championships All-Tournament Second Team
ALMA MATER
» St. Joseph High School (Hawai‘i) 1969
» University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
» University of Hawai‘i at Manoa 1974 - B.Ed Secondary Education
» University of Hawai‘i at Manoa 1976 - Master of Education
PERSONAL
» Hometown: Hilo, Hawai‘i
» Full Name: Joseph Estrella Jr.
» Nickname: Coach E
» Has two children with his wife
» Created Joe and Harriet Estrella Scholarship in 2013 in honor of parents
» April 13, 2013 was proclaimed "Coach Joey Estrella Day" by the State of Hawai‘i
» April 13, 2013 was proclaimed "Joey Estrella Day" by the County of Hawai‘i
» 2025 Big Island Sports Hall of Fame
CAREER (657-935-5)
2017-Present: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Softball Assistant)
2015-2015: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Interim Director of Athletics)
1976-2013: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Baseball Head Coach)
2009-2013: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Assistant AD)
1980-1989: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Director of Athletics)
1976-1980: University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Men's Basketball Assistant)
1975-1976: University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (Baseball Graduate Assistant)
