Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock announced Wednesday that Marci Byers has been named the sixth head coach in the history of Tech's volleyball program. 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.
"We are excited to welcome Marci to Virginia Tech," Babcock said. "She's a proven winner and recruiter whose teams have also excelled in the classroom. We looked at some very highly qualified candidates from across the country, but as we narrowed our search, it became more and more apparent that the right fit for Virginia Tech was already in the New River Valley. Marci's exemplary record and her long history of identifying talent in Virginia and across the country were two of the many factors that convinced us that she could lead an ACC volleyball program."
The Hokies are seeking to snap a string of four straight seasons with a losing record and a return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010.
"Spending almost my entire career coaching in the state, I've always had a great deal of respect for Virginia Tech," Byers said. "Tech's reputation as an academic institution, as well as the level of support for its athletic programs and its student-athletes is something I can't wait to sell on the recruiting trail. I look forward to getting to work with the team as soon as possible and embracing the culture of Ut Prosim on campus in Blacksburg."
During 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 the past seven seasons and compiled an 81-34 (.708) overall record over the past 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 Appalachian 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 VCU. The couple are parents of a daughter, Kamryn Grey.