EMAIL COACH BYRNE
Mick Byrne enters his 16th year as head coach of the Gaels' program and his 20th year as a member of the Iona Cross Country and Track & Field staff. From 1984-89, Byrne served as an assistant coach under former Olympic Coach Tony Naclerio.
Since taking over as the Gaels' full-time head coach, Byrne's record speaks for itself. Eight trips to the NCAA Cross Country Championship; 13 consecutive MAAC Cross Country team titles; 11 MAAC Individual Cross Country Champions; 23 NCAA All-Americans; 22 IC4A Champions; and 90 All-East selections.
For the past two seasons, Byrne's Gaels captured the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship, earning him the United States Cross Country Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year award each season. Iona also won the 1999 Northeast Regional title.
This past season, the Gaels firmly placed themselves among the top programs in the country. At the NCAA Cross Country Championship, Iona placed fourth overall - just one point out of third place. Three Iona runners earned All-America honors in the process - Richard Kiplagat, Mark Smyth, and Joe McAlister. On the track, three different Iona athletes competed at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor championships, earning two more All-America plaques.
Over the past 15 years under Byrne's tutelage, Iona College has excelled in cross country. In 2002, the Gaels finished 10th at the national championship. In 2000, the Maroon & Gold began the season with the highest national ranking in school history, sitting at No. 4 on the NCAA Division I Coaches Poll. Byrne's winning record in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ranks as the third best among all NCAA Division One schools. Since 1991, the Gaels have absolutely dominated the MAAC championship, capturing 13 consecutive team titles, sweeping the first five places in the race three times. During the 13-race span, a Gael runner has captured the individual title 11 times.
Under Byrne's tenure, six different runners have earned NCAA All-America status in cross country: Sean McGuirk (1988), Ricardo Santos (1998), Vinny Mulvey (1999), Richard Kiplagat (2002, 2003), Mark Smyth (2003), and Joe McAlister (2003). For the past three seasons, a Gael runner has achieved All-America status on the track.
Byrne, a native of Dublin, Ireland, competed collegiately for Providence College and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in International Marketing. A four-year standout for the Friars, he helped to elevate the program to national prominance in cross country and distance races. Byrne still holds a school record as a member of PC's 1977 four-mile relay team.
Byrne resides in City Island, NY with his wife Mary-Jo and two sons, Aidan (15) and Cian (7).
Highlights during Byrne's tenure at Iona:
- 1999, 2002, 2003 United States Cross Country Coaches Association Northeast Coach of the Year
- Teams qualified for NCAA Cross Country Championship (8): 1985, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
- School record fourth place finish at the 2003 NCAA Cross Country Championship in Waterloo, IA
- Ninth place finish at the 1999 NCAA Cross Country Championship in Bloomington, IN
- Tenth place finish at the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championship in Terre Haute, IN
- Seven individual NCAA Cross Country qualifiers
- Winners of 13 straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles - the third longest consecutive conference cross country winning streak in the country
- IC4A Cross Country team runner-up (2): 1985,1997
- 23 NCAA All-Americans
- 22 IC4A Champions
- 90 All-East Selections
- In 2003, two Championship of America individual champions at the Penn Relays
