Joan Adams Jones is a native of Wilson and lettered at Atlantic Christian for four years in both tennis and basketball, graduating in 1977. Under coach Barbara Smith she compiled a 67-14 singles record and 41-28 career doubles mark. As a senior she won 15 consecutive matches, she also won the first flight in the Eastern Collegiate Invitational Tournament, and was also the runner-up in the first flight of both the Carolinas Conference and N.C.A.I.A.W. Tournaments.

Jones was selected as Most Valuable Player of the tennis team in each of her four seasons. She was the first winner of the Morning Kiwanis Club Outstanding Female Athlete Award in 1977. That same year she was also presented with the Edward Cloyd, Sr. Scholarship Award, which is awarded to the senior athlete with the highest grade point average. She also received the Faculty Cup which is the top honor given at graduation, which denotes all-around achievement.

Jones also won numerous Wilson City tennis championships. She coached at Greenfield School upon graduation of AC. She married Rob Jones. The couple have one daughter, Eleanor Anne.  Joan Adams Jones is the daughter of 1985 Atlantic Christian Hall of Fame inductee Milton Adams.