Dr. Dave Joyner is a 1967 graduate of State College High School and was awarded his bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1972. He received his medical degree from the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of Pennsylvania State University in 1976.

At State College, Joyner was given the James Snyder Award as the outstanding student-athlete after winning a PIAA wrestling tournament title, making all-state in football and winning the district shot put title. Joyner also twice won sectional, district and regional titles in wrestling and was a state semifinalist as a junior. He was 40-2-2 overall in high school. He also finished second in both the freestyle and Greco-Roman events at the 1967 U.S.A. Junior Olympic Team Wrestling Trials.

At Penn State, Joyner earned three varsity letters in wrestling and was captain his senior year. He was a three-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (ElWA) champion, an NCAA Regional champ in 1971, finished second at nationals in 1971, was a national quarterfinalist in 1972, was named an All-American in 1971 and was a champion at the 1971 East-West All-Star Meet. He finished his collegiate and open career with a 100-9-4 overall record. He also earned three varsity letters in football and was a consensus All-American and ECAC All-East at tackle in 1971.

He founded the Joyner Sports Medicine Institute in 1992, which was acquired by NovaCare, Inc. in 1998. He is still serving as Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Sports Medicine Committee and is the National Director of Sports Medicine for NovaCare, Inc., as well as continuing to see and treat patients in his orthopedic practice at the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania.

Joyner and his wife Carolyn have three children - Andrew, Matthew and Kate.

For his many contributions to wrestling and in the field of Sports Medicine, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is proud to honor Dr. David M. Joyner with the "Outstanding Pennsylvanian (American)" award for 1999.