Plymouth State University

ANDY BYRNE ('75): Byrne, a men's soccer team captain who earned four varsity letters for Plymouth State, enjoyed an impressive career patrolling the sidelines. He served as men's soccer coach for Ithaca College for 31 years (1984-14), amassing a record of 301-174-58 and advancing to the NCAA Tournament 11 times. His teams made nine consecutive playoff appearances from 1985 through 1993, with five NCAA Tournament berths.

Byrne guided the Bombers to three-straight NCAA quarterfinal appearances (1995-97) and a semifinal berth in 1996. The team returned to the NCAA playoffs again in 1999 and 2008.

He was named the Northeast Region Division III Coach of the Year in both 1996 and 1997, while earning Empire 8 Coach of the Year four times. Byrne served as an assistant for Plymouth State Hall of Fame coach Gerd Lutter (HOF '99) before earning his master's degree at Eastern Illinois University.

Prior to Ithaca he held the role of head men's soccer coach and P.E. instructor at Indiana State University-Evansville (now University of Southern Indiana). His teams won three consecutive Great Lakes Valley championships, posted a 34-18-2 overall record and competed in the 1982 NCAA Division II playoffs. He has also spent three years as head coach at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

Byrne owns an overall coaching record of 332-207-57 for a .605 career winning percentage.