Wednesday, June 8, 2011

MORAVIAN’S BYRNE TO BE INDUCTED INTO LEHIGH VALLEY SOFTBALL HALL OF FAME

ALLENTOWN, PA --- Moravian College head softball coach John Byrne is one of four inductees in the Class of 2011, the 11th class  that will be inducted into the Lehigh Valley Softball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 15th at Pates Park in Allentown at approximately 7:00 p.m.

Joining coach Byrne in the Class of 2011 are former Allen High and Lehigh University pitching standout Nina (Rems) DeLong, men's fastpitch great and area coach Darrel Stofflet and former Patriots All-Seasons owner Russ Lloyd.

In his 18 years as Moravian’s head coach, Byrne has as a career mark of 581-182 including a 37-9 overall record this past spring, the 18th consecutive season that Moravian has won at least 23 games, and an 11-1 mark in Landmark Conference regular season action.  The Greyhounds, which have won over 30 games 13 times under Byrne including the last 11 years, won their 12th straight conference title this past May with a fourth straight Landmark Conference Championship, and the program played in the conference tournament for the 16th time in 17 years.  Moravian’s NCAA berth in 2011 was its 13th berth in the last 14 years including a regional championship and berth in the 2007 and 2010 NCAA Division III World Series and a national runner-up finish at the 2004 Division III World Series.

Byrne and his staff were named the Landmark Conference Coaching Staff of the Year in 2011 and 2008, and Byrne and his staff were selected as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Byrne was the Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year four times.

Byrne, a 1982 graduate of Moravian, served as Athletic Recruiting Coordinator from 1985 to 1998. He is currently Assistant Athletics Director. A four-year starter on the baseball team, Byrne was an assistant baseball coach from 1983 to 1992, head volleyball coach in 1988 and assistant football coach from 1989 to 1997. Byrne served as associate head coach of the Philadelphia Force in the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2007 and has worked as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. He resides in Bethlehem with his wife Genevieve and daughters Rachel and Jamie.