Mick Byrne head shot

Mick Byrne

  • Title
    Director of Cross Country and Track & Field
  • Sports & Areas of Focus
    M/W Cross Country, M/W Track & Field
110288
Byrne by the Numbers
NCAA Championships: 1
Track and Field Coach of the Year Honors
2024 Great Lakes Regional (Indoor)
2024 Big Ten Conference (Indoor)
Big Ten Conference (Outdoor)
2023 Great Lakes Regional (Indoor)
Cross Country Coach of the Year Honors
2023 Great Lakes Regional
2023 Big Ten Conference
2022 Great Lakes Regional
2022 Big Ten Conference
2022 Great Lakes Regional
2021 Big Ten Conference
2020 Big Ten Conference
2019 Big Ten Conference
2018 Great Lakes Regional
Big Ten Conference
2016 Great Lakes Regional
Big Ten Conference
2014 Great Lakes Regional
Big Ten Conference
2012 Great Lakes Regional
Big Ten Conference
2011 National
Great Lakes Regional
Big Ten Conference
2010 Big Ten Conference
2009 Big Ten Conference
2008 Great Lakes Regional
Big Ten Conference
2007 Northeast Regional
MAAC Conference
2006 Northeast Regional
MAAC Conference
2005 Northeast Regional
MAAC Conference
2004 MAAC Conference
2003 Northeast Regional
MAAC Conference
2002 Northeast Regional
MAAC Conference
2001 MAAC Conference
2000 MAAC Conference
1999 Northeast Regional
MAAC Conference
1998 MAAC Conference
1997 MAAC Conference
1996 MAAC Conference
1995 MAAC Conference
1994 MAAC Conference
1993 MAAC Conference
1992 MAAC Conference
1991 MAAC Conference
Since 2008, Mick Byrne has continued the outstanding tradition of men’s distance runners at the University of Wisconsin. In August of 2013, Byrne was named the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, overseeing both the men’s and women’s programs. In his 16 years as the men’s cross country/distance coach and 11 years as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country, the Badgers have:
  • 7 Olympians
  • 1 NCAA Team Championship
  • 6 NCAA Top-Four Trophies
  • 14 NCAA Individual Champions
  • 99 All-American Honors
  • 17 Big Ten Team Championships
  • 71 Big Ten Individual Titles
  • 45 School Records
  • 19 Academic All-Americans
Olympians
Seven former Badgers who competed under Byrne have competed in the Olympics. In 2024, five of those athletes took to the line in Paris including Mohammed Ahmed (men’s 10,000 meters, men’s 5,000 meters - Canada), Oliver Hoare (men’s 1500 meters - Australia), Morgan McDonald (men’s 5000 meters - Australia), Adam Spencer (men’s 1500 meters - Australia), Zach Ziemek (decathlon - U.S.).  In 2021, Ahmed, a four-time Olympian, won a silver medal in the 5,000 meters in Tokyo and also finished sixth in the 10,000 meters for Canada. Also competing in Tokyo was Kelsey Card (women’s discus – U.S.), Georgia Ellenwood (heptathlon - Canada), Oliver Hoare (men’s 1500 meters - Australia), Morgan McDonald (men’s 5,000 meters - Australia), Alicia Monson (women’s 10,000 meters – U.S.) and Zach Ziemek (decathlon – U.S.). In 2016, Ahmed, Card and Ziemek all competed on the track while Gwen Jorgensen won a gold medal in the women’s triathlon. Jorgensen also competed in the triathlon in 2012 in London and while Ahmed and Egle Staisiunaite (400-meter hurdles) competed on the track.

NCAA Champions
Byrne coached the men’s cross country team to the 2011 NCAA Cross Country Championship while UW has earned NCAA podium finishes five other times, including three straight top-three finishes from 2010-12. Wisconsin also earned a fourth-place trophy at the 2016 and 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships. 

National Champions
Ten Badgers have won 14 NCAA individual titles, including Morgan McDonald, who enjoyed one of the finest season’s in Wisconsin history in 2018-19. McDonald was a Bowerman Award top-10 finalist after winning national titles in cross country, indoor 3000 meters, indoor 5000 meters, and outdoor 5000 meters. Wisconsin became the first school to sweep the NCAA indoor titles in the 5000 meters when Alicia Monson joined McDonald at the 2019 championship as the national champion for women.

In 2025, Jason Swarens won the men’s shot put at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2024, Taylor Kesner won the women’s weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. In 2022, Olin Hacker won the men's 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. A pair of Badgers won titles in 2018, Oliver Hoare won the NCAA Outdoor title in the 1500 meters while Georgia Ellenwood won the NCAA championship in the heptathlon. The Badgers also won two championships in 2016 with Zach Ziemek claiming the indoor title in the heptathlon while Kelsey Card was victorious outdoors in the discus throw. In the men’s weight throw, Michael Lihrman won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2014 and 2015.

All-American Honors
As the director of the Badgers, Byrne has aided 40 athletes to 99 All-America honors. Leading the list is Oliver Hoare, who won 10 All-America honors in track and cross country while Kelsey Card won seven All-America awards in the throws. In the multi-events, Georgia Ellenwood was a six-time All-American while Zach Ziemek earned five honors.

Academic Accolades
Behind Morgan McDonald, who was named the 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Member of the Year and the USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete of the Year for cross country and indoor track, the Badgers have won 19 Academic All-America accolades.

Big Ten Champions
Under Byrne, Wisconsin has won 14 Big Ten Cross Country championships and the 2014 Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field titles. UW also captured the 2023 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championship. Individually, the Badgers have won 71 Big Ten titles. Oliver Hoare has won nine titles in the middle distances and cross country while Kelsey Card has won seven championships in the throws for the women.

Coach of the Year Honors
At Wisconsin, Byrne has been recognized by his peers earning 16 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors and 12 USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year awards. He was also named the 2011 National Coach of the Year award from the USTFCCCA.

Building a Dynasty
Prior to his arrival in Madison, Byrne spent 24 years at Iona College. After taking over Iona's head coaching duties in 1989, he built the Gaels' men's cross country program into a conference powerhouse and national contender, producing 17 consecutive MAAC titles and 12 trips to the NCAA championship.

Over his final five seasons at Iona (2003-07), the Gaels recorded four NCAA podium finishes, including the highest finish in school and conference history by placing second in 2007. The Gaels also earned a third-place finish in 2006 as well as fourth-place showings in 2003 and 2005. The runner-up finish in 2007 marked the sixth-straight top-10 NCAA finish and its third-consecutive appearance on the podium. Byrne, who was inducted into the Iona Gael Club Hall of Fame in 2008, was named the USTFCCCA Northeast Regional Coach of the Year in four of his final five seasons at Iona. He piloted the Gaels to NCAA Northeast Regional championships in each of those seasons.

In his final season at Iona, he guided three runners to All-America status, while five earned all-region honors and five were named to the MAAC first and second teams. Under his tutelage at Iona, the Gaels captured 15 MAAC individual cross country titles, 13 men's cross country All-America honors, 15 track All-America honors, 29 IC4A champions and 163 All-East selections.

Byrne began his coaching career as an assistant at Iona in 1984 and held that post for five seasons until being promoted to head coach prior to the 1989 season. He piloted the men's and women's track and field teams and developed the Iona women's cross country program from its inception in 1991. In just over a decade, he catapulted the women's cross country team to MAAC champions in 2004, 2006 and 2007. In 2006, his women's team finished second at the Northeast Regional and 20th at the NCAA Championships.

About Byrne
A native of Dublin, Ireland, Byrne competed collegiately at Providence College and earned a bachelor's degree in international marketing. A four-year cross country standout for the Friars, he helped elevate the program to national prominence in distance running. Byrne still holds a school record as a member of Providence's 1977 four-mile relay team.

Byrne and his wife, Mary Jo, have two sons, Aidan and Cian.
 
 Men's Results
 Year  School  Cross Country  Indoor Track  Outdoor Track
 Conf Reg NCAA Conf  NCAA Conf. NCAA
2023-24 Wisconsin 1st 2nd 10th
 2022-23 Wisconsin    1st 1st 5th 1st 16th 4th 16th
 2021-22 Wisconsin 1st 2nd 11th 5th T-15th 3rd T-25th
 2020-21  Wisconsin 1st -- 18th 8th DNS 9th DNS
 2019-20  Wisconsin 1st 5th 18th 7th NM NM NM
 2018-19  Wisconsin 1st 1st 8th 3rd 4th 10th 18th
 2017-18  Wisconsin 3rd 3rd Ind. 5th 45th 9th T27th
 2016-17 Wisconsin 1st 1st 8th 3rd T58th 4th DNS
 2015-16 Wisconsin 8th 6th DNQ 2nd T20th 8th T18th
 2014-15 Wisconsin 1st 1st 10th 10th T4th 8th T74th
2013-14 Wisconsin 3rd 2nd 9th 1st 11th 1st T9th
2012-13 Wisconsin 1st 1st 2nd
2011-12 Wisconsin 1st 1st 1st
2010-11 Wisconsin 1st 1st 3rd
2009-10 Wisconsin 1st 1st 7th
2008-09 Wisconsin 1st 1st 4th
2007-08 Iona 1st 1st 2nd 2nd DNS 3rd DNS
2006-07 Iona 1st 1st 3rd 3rd DNS 3rd T55th
2005-06 Iona 1st 1st 4th 3rd 16th 3rd T16th
2004-05 Iona 1st 2nd 7th 3rd 34th 3rd
2003-04 Iona 1st 1st 4th 3rd T29th 3rd
2002-03 Iona 1st 1st 10th 3rd T40th 3rd
2001-02 Iona 1st DNQ DNQ 3rd DNS 3rd
2000-01 Iona 1st 2nd 15th 5th DNS 5th
1999-00 Iona 1st 1st 9th 2nd 3rd
1998-99 Iona 1st 3rd 23rd 3rd 3rd
1997-98 Iona 1st 2nd 13th 3rd 3rd
1996-97 Iona 1st 3rd
1995-96 Iona 1st
1994-95 Iona 1st
1993-94 Iona 1st 19th
1992-93 Iona 1st
1991-92 Iona 1st
1990-91 Iona 2nd 3rd
1989-90 Iona 4th 8th
 
 Women's Results
 Year School Cross Country Indoor Track Outdoor Track
Conf Reg NCAA Conf  NCAA Conf. NCAA
2023-24     Wisconsin     2nd 2nd 22nd
2022-23 Wisconsin 3rd 5th 19th 7th T-21st 6th 56th
2021-22 Wisconsin 2nd 2nd 12th 5th -- 2nd 37th
2020-21 Wisconsin 6th -- DNQ 6th DNS 9th T33rd
2019-20 Wisconsin 2nd 3rd 7th 9th NM NM NM
2018-19 Wisconsin 3rd 2nd 10th 4th T21st 7th 66th
2017-18 Wisconsin 3rd 3rd 10th 7th 35th 5th T22nd
2016-17 Wisconsin 6th 3rd 14th 6th T58th 9th T48th
2015-16 Wisconsin 5th 4th DNQ 8th T21st 8th 14th
2014-15 Wisconsin 2nd 2nd 10th 7th T18th 9th T15th
2013-14 Wisconsin T6th 5th 21st 11th T43rd 10th DNS
2012-13
2011-12
2010-11
2009-10
2008-09
2007-08 Iona 1st 11th 6th DNS 4th DNS
2006-07 Iona 1st 2nd 20th 4th T69th 5th DNS
2005-06 Iona 1st 3rd DNS 4th DNS
2004-05 Iona 2nd 4th DNS 4th
2003-04 Iona 2nd 4th DNS 3rd
2002-03 Iona 2nd 5th DNS 4th
2001-02 Iona 1st 5th DNS 5th
2000-01 Iona 3rd 6th DNS 6th
1999-00 Iona 3rd 6th 6th
1998-99 Iona 3rd 6th 6th
1997-98 Iona 6th 6th 6th
1996-97 Iona 5th 6th
1995-96 Iona 5th
1994-95 Iona 6th
1993-94 Iona 5th
1992-93 Iona 7th
1991-92 Iona 9th
1990-91 Iona 6th
 
NM = No Meet held due to COVID-19