Joe joined the university as an assistant track coach in 1972 following his own championship level efforts as a runner and coach at St. John's University (where he is a member of the Redmen Hall of Fame). He subsequently directed the Hoya track and field program as head coach from 1974 to 1983. During these years, Joe coached 27 All-Americans, a Boston Marathon winner, and an Olympian, twice earning coach of the year honors in the eastern region.

Moving from coaching into athletic administration, Joe began to share his talents with coaches and student-athletes throughout the department. In addition to serving as a sport administrator for a variety of programs, he continued his multiple roles as a counselor, calculus tutor, academic advisor and fundraiser for athletics. As the department grew in size and achievement, his responsibilities expanded into all areas of athletic administration. When long-time athletic director Frank Rienzo stepped aside in 1995, Joe was ready to take charge.

Joe held himself and his student athletes to a lofty standard, keeping graduation rates and grade point averages high while consistently earning Big East and NCAA championships. He led Georgetown to a top 20 national ranking for athletic departments by U.S. News and World Report. In 2000, the ECAC recognized Georgetown as the institution for that year that best exemplifies the highest standards of collegiate academics and athletic performance.

A member of the Big East executive committee and chair of the conference's legislative and equity committees, Joe's crowning achievement may have been his work in 2003 when he worked tirelessly to preserve the Big East as a viable league for non-BCS conference members. But for his efforts at this decisive moment, Georgetown today would be facing a very different athletic future. He is legitimately credited as a second founder of the Big East.

In 2005, Joe received the Patrick Healy Award, the highest honor given to a non-alumnus by the Georgetown Alumni Association.

Joe and his wife, Mary, are an integral part of the Georgetown family. Together, they have established a scholarship endowment in honor of their parents. They have six grown children: Joe, Mary, Angela, Margaret, Tom (`88), and Steve ('89). Two of their sons as well as a son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandson, and niece are Georgetown graduates. They have fourteen grandchildren. The Langs reside in North Potomac, Maryland.

Joseph Lang is the 22nd coach/official in the 139-year history of intercollegiate athletics to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame