Field Hockey
Byrne, Will
Will Byrne
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
- wbyrne@northwestern.edu
- Phone:
- 491-2604
Will Byrne joined the Wildcats in the spring of 2016, after most recently serving as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts under the direction of former Northwestern assistant Carla Tagliente. He earned Level 2 coaching accreditation through the US Field Hockey Association in 2010.
In his first year on the staff, the Wildcats rattled off an eight-match winning streak including back-to-back wins over No. 4 Penn State and No. 6 Maryland. Three individuals were named All-Big Ten while four were named All-NFHCA West Region.
Byrne guided the Wildcats to one of their most successful seasons in program history in his second year as a coach. Northwestern finished 15-7 and won an NCAA Tournament match for the first time since 1994, defeating Louisville in the first round. Three players earned All-Big Ten Honors and two Wildcats earned All-American selections with Puck Pentenga landing on the third team and Sophia Miller becoming the first selection to the first team since Chelsea Armstrong in 2012.
In just his third season, Byrne coached two All-Big Ten selections in Puck Pentenga and Eva van Agt, who also both were named to NFHCA All-West Region Teams. The Wildcats earned four ranked wins as well.
Byrne helped guide Northwestern back to the NCAA Tournament in 2019, taking down eight ranked opponents in the process. Under Byrne, redshirt first-year Bente Baekers broke out as one of the most prolific scorers in the nation, netting 28 goals, the second most in a season in program history, and winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Three student-athletes were named All-Big Ten and four earned NFHCA All-West honors.
After COVID-19 pushed the 2020 campaign to spring 2021, Byrne again helped develop one of the brightest young stars in the nation as true first-year Maddie Zimmer won Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was named an All-American. Three different Wildcats earned All-American recognition that season, the most since 1995, while Byrne coached Northwestern back to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Byrne and the Wildcats won the first National Championship in Northwestern history in 2021, posting three shutouts and allowing just one goal during the run through the NCAA Tournament. Baekers and Zimmer both won first-team All-American recognition under Byrne, the first time since 1991 Northwestern boasted two first-team All-Americans in the same season, while six Wildcats earned NFHCA All-West honors and three were named All-Big Ten. Byrne also played a hand in the program’s first-ever win over a No. 1 opponent as the Wildcats beat top-ranked Iowa on the road.
Byrne earned recognition as part of the NFHCA National Staff of the Year alongside Tracey Fuchs and Georgia Holland for his efforts in 2021.
For the second straight year, Byrne helped the Wildcats back to the NCAA title game in 2022 and posted 20 wins, tying the program record that had gone unmatched for 37 years. The Wildcats opened the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and won its first eight games, the longest win streak to start a season since 1985. They toppled 15 ranked opponents and posted a 7-1 record in overtime games, earning the “Cardiac ‘Cats” moniker, while also advancing to the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Byrne coached Kayla Blas to recognition as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the year, Northwestern’s first since 1995, and Bente Baekers to the NFHCA West Player of the Year Award. A program-record eight student-athletes were named to the NHCA All-West Team under Byrne in 2022.
In addition to his work at the Division I level, Byrne has worked extensively with USA Field Hockey. Since 2018, he has worked with the Senior Women’s National Team as a video analyst, touring with the team in the FIH Hockey Pro League, and helping the team to a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. Since 2016 he has served as site director for Chicago’s Level I Futures site, and coached regional select teams at USA Field Hockey’s National Futures Tournament at Young Women’s National Championship.
His high school coaching experience includes stints at Amherst Regional High (Amherst, Mass.), Sidwell Friends School (Washington D.C.) and Colorado Academy (Denver, Colo.), helping the latter reach a pair of state finals.
Byrne graduated from Colorado State University with degrees in English and music in 2007 before earning his master’s degree in creative writing from American University in 2014.
In his first year on the staff, the Wildcats rattled off an eight-match winning streak including back-to-back wins over No. 4 Penn State and No. 6 Maryland. Three individuals were named All-Big Ten while four were named All-NFHCA West Region.
Byrne guided the Wildcats to one of their most successful seasons in program history in his second year as a coach. Northwestern finished 15-7 and won an NCAA Tournament match for the first time since 1994, defeating Louisville in the first round. Three players earned All-Big Ten Honors and two Wildcats earned All-American selections with Puck Pentenga landing on the third team and Sophia Miller becoming the first selection to the first team since Chelsea Armstrong in 2012.
In just his third season, Byrne coached two All-Big Ten selections in Puck Pentenga and Eva van Agt, who also both were named to NFHCA All-West Region Teams. The Wildcats earned four ranked wins as well.
Byrne helped guide Northwestern back to the NCAA Tournament in 2019, taking down eight ranked opponents in the process. Under Byrne, redshirt first-year Bente Baekers broke out as one of the most prolific scorers in the nation, netting 28 goals, the second most in a season in program history, and winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Three student-athletes were named All-Big Ten and four earned NFHCA All-West honors.
After COVID-19 pushed the 2020 campaign to spring 2021, Byrne again helped develop one of the brightest young stars in the nation as true first-year Maddie Zimmer won Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was named an All-American. Three different Wildcats earned All-American recognition that season, the most since 1995, while Byrne coached Northwestern back to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Byrne and the Wildcats won the first National Championship in Northwestern history in 2021, posting three shutouts and allowing just one goal during the run through the NCAA Tournament. Baekers and Zimmer both won first-team All-American recognition under Byrne, the first time since 1991 Northwestern boasted two first-team All-Americans in the same season, while six Wildcats earned NFHCA All-West honors and three were named All-Big Ten. Byrne also played a hand in the program’s first-ever win over a No. 1 opponent as the Wildcats beat top-ranked Iowa on the road.
Byrne earned recognition as part of the NFHCA National Staff of the Year alongside Tracey Fuchs and Georgia Holland for his efforts in 2021.
For the second straight year, Byrne helped the Wildcats back to the NCAA title game in 2022 and posted 20 wins, tying the program record that had gone unmatched for 37 years. The Wildcats opened the season as the No. 1 team in the nation and won its first eight games, the longest win streak to start a season since 1985. They toppled 15 ranked opponents and posted a 7-1 record in overtime games, earning the “Cardiac ‘Cats” moniker, while also advancing to the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Byrne coached Kayla Blas to recognition as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the year, Northwestern’s first since 1995, and Bente Baekers to the NFHCA West Player of the Year Award. A program-record eight student-athletes were named to the NHCA All-West Team under Byrne in 2022.
In addition to his work at the Division I level, Byrne has worked extensively with USA Field Hockey. Since 2018, he has worked with the Senior Women’s National Team as a video analyst, touring with the team in the FIH Hockey Pro League, and helping the team to a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. Since 2016 he has served as site director for Chicago’s Level I Futures site, and coached regional select teams at USA Field Hockey’s National Futures Tournament at Young Women’s National Championship.
His high school coaching experience includes stints at Amherst Regional High (Amherst, Mass.), Sidwell Friends School (Washington D.C.) and Colorado Academy (Denver, Colo.), helping the latter reach a pair of state finals.
Byrne graduated from Colorado State University with degrees in English and music in 2007 before earning his master’s degree in creative writing from American University in 2014.
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