Joseph Orlean Christian (May 10, 1898 – October 21, 1979) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator.

Christian was also the school's athletic director from 1950 to 1966 and filled in as interim head basketball coach during the 1935–36 season.

Christian died on October 21, 1979, at the age of 81 in a convalescent home in Willimantic, Connecticut.

Christian's 66 wins as head football coach at Connecticut were the most in program history until Randy Edsall surpassed him in 2010.

[citation needed] The following table depicts Christian's record as head baseball coach at Connecticut.