Hokie ClubMarci Byers was named the sixth head coach of the Virginia Tech volleyball program in January, 2020. She enters her fifth season at the helm of the Hokies.
The 2023 season began with the Hokies starting off 10-0, a program record. Tech's 13-16 record was the best in the Byers' era. This season also saw the first victory for the Hokies against Notre Dame since 2015. Hanna Borer recorded her 1,000th career assist in a match vs. Delaware State, and Sydney Petersen recorded her 1,000th career point against Syracuse. The Hokies also registered ACC wins over Wake Forest and Syracuse.
The 2022 season saw the Hokies defeat Clemson 3-2 on the road, the first win over the Tigers in the Byers' era and the first win at Clemson since 2019. Hanna Borer was also named ACC Freshman of the Week on September 26 and November 15, the first Freshman of the Week honor since 2017. She had 13 double-doubles in 2022, the most by any freshman in the ACC. The Hokies recorded ACC wins over Boston College, Wake Forest and Duke as well.
During her first season with Tech, the team tallied five conference wins including a sweep of Virginia and a win over then No. 14 Duke in five sets. The Hokies defeated Virginia in 2021 as well, taking down the Cavaliers in five sets. Tech also defeated Boston College and Wake Forest in ACC play during Byers' second season at the helm.
A four-time Big South Coach of the Year selection at Radford University, she is the winningest coach in Highlanders’ history, leading the program to three Big South regular season titles, two Big South Tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament berths. She is one of only five head coaches in Big South history to register 200 or more career victories.
Throughout her tenure at Radford, the Chicago native consistently recruited top talent to the New River Valley from across the country, thanks to her strong relationships within the ACC footprint, as well as with elite club programs in the Midwest, Texas and California.
Byers’ squads at Radford topped the 20-win mark five times over seven seasons and compiled an 81-34 (.708) overall record over four years. She led the Highlanders to a 22-7 record in 2018, including a 12-4 mark in Big South play. They reached the Big South Tournament title game for the second consecutive season and were selected to play in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship where they defeated App State in the first round. During her tenure at Radford, her student-athletes twice registered the top team GPA of any program at the school (2008 and 2013).
No stranger to defeating Power Five foes, under her direction in 2017 the Highlanders registered wins at Arizona, at South Carolina and at Virginia Tech en route to a Big South Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth. In 2016, Byers led Radford to a 24-6 record, including a perfect 11-0 mark at home and a Big South regular season championship. Her squads also registered wins against Wake Forest in 2016 and Washington State in 2015. Byers’ 2014 squad finished with a 24-8 mark that included wins over California and Maryland as Radford claimed the Big South regular season title. The Highlanders earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance under Byers in 2013 after winning both the Big South regular season and tournament titles, finishing the season with a 25-10 record.
Prior to beginning her tenure at Radford in 2008, she spent two seasons at NCAA Division II Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C. After going 4-17 in her initial season in 2006, Byers guided the Hawks to a 26-11 record as the squad averaged the most aces per game of any Division II squad. Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, she posted a 121-49 record in 10 seasons coaching in the Richmond prep ranks, spending two seasons at Mills Godwin High School and eight years at Hermitage High School.
Byers has also been a successful coach at the club level. Her 2003-04 team qualified for the Junior Olympics in Houston, while her 2004-05 team reached the Junior Olympics in Salt Lake City. She was also invited to participate in the USA Volleyball Coaches Clinic at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
She is a 1995 graduate of Virginia Union University where she graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a concentration in mathematics. A four-year starter on the volleyball team, she captained the team as both a junior and senior. Her husband, J.D., serves as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Virginia Tech. The couple are parents of two daughters, Kamryn and Skyyler.
The 2023 season began with the Hokies starting off 10-0, a program record. Tech's 13-16 record was the best in the Byers' era. This season also saw the first victory for the Hokies against Notre Dame since 2015. Hanna Borer recorded her 1,000th career assist in a match vs. Delaware State, and Sydney Petersen recorded her 1,000th career point against Syracuse. The Hokies also registered ACC wins over Wake Forest and Syracuse.
The 2022 season saw the Hokies defeat Clemson 3-2 on the road, the first win over the Tigers in the Byers' era and the first win at Clemson since 2019. Hanna Borer was also named ACC Freshman of the Week on September 26 and November 15, the first Freshman of the Week honor since 2017. She had 13 double-doubles in 2022, the most by any freshman in the ACC. The Hokies recorded ACC wins over Boston College, Wake Forest and Duke as well.
During her first season with Tech, the team tallied five conference wins including a sweep of Virginia and a win over then No. 14 Duke in five sets. The Hokies defeated Virginia in 2021 as well, taking down the Cavaliers in five sets. Tech also defeated Boston College and Wake Forest in ACC play during Byers' second season at the helm.
A four-time Big South Coach of the Year selection at Radford University, she is the winningest coach in Highlanders’ history, leading the program to three Big South regular season titles, two Big South Tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament berths. She is one of only five head coaches in Big South history to register 200 or more career victories.
Throughout her tenure at Radford, the Chicago native consistently recruited top talent to the New River Valley from across the country, thanks to her strong relationships within the ACC footprint, as well as with elite club programs in the Midwest, Texas and California.
Byers’ squads at Radford topped the 20-win mark five times over seven seasons and compiled an 81-34 (.708) overall record over four years. She led the Highlanders to a 22-7 record in 2018, including a 12-4 mark in Big South play. They reached the Big South Tournament title game for the second consecutive season and were selected to play in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship where they defeated App State in the first round. During her tenure at Radford, her student-athletes twice registered the top team GPA of any program at the school (2008 and 2013).
No stranger to defeating Power Five foes, under her direction in 2017 the Highlanders registered wins at Arizona, at South Carolina and at Virginia Tech en route to a Big South Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth. In 2016, Byers led Radford to a 24-6 record, including a perfect 11-0 mark at home and a Big South regular season championship. Her squads also registered wins against Wake Forest in 2016 and Washington State in 2015. Byers’ 2014 squad finished with a 24-8 mark that included wins over California and Maryland as Radford claimed the Big South regular season title. The Highlanders earned their first NCAA Tournament appearance under Byers in 2013 after winning both the Big South regular season and tournament titles, finishing the season with a 25-10 record.
Prior to beginning her tenure at Radford in 2008, she spent two seasons at NCAA Division II Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C. After going 4-17 in her initial season in 2006, Byers guided the Hawks to a 26-11 record as the squad averaged the most aces per game of any Division II squad. Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, she posted a 121-49 record in 10 seasons coaching in the Richmond prep ranks, spending two seasons at Mills Godwin High School and eight years at Hermitage High School.
Byers has also been a successful coach at the club level. Her 2003-04 team qualified for the Junior Olympics in Houston, while her 2004-05 team reached the Junior Olympics in Salt Lake City. She was also invited to participate in the USA Volleyball Coaches Clinic at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
She is a 1995 graduate of Virginia Union University where she graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a concentration in mathematics. A four-year starter on the volleyball team, she captained the team as both a junior and senior. Her husband, J.D., serves as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Virginia Tech. The couple are parents of two daughters, Kamryn and Skyyler.