In his fourth season as an assistant coach at Robert Morris University is Michael Byrnes. Byrnes joined the staff at RMU with 16 years of coaching experience at the prep school level, including 14 seasons at the Winchendon School in Winchendon, Mass.
As an assistant at RMU in his three seasons, Byrnes helped the Colonials stretch their streak of consecutive winning seasons to eight as Robert Morris finished 18-14 (.563) in 2010-11 and tied a school record for victories with an overall mark of 26-11 (.703) in 2011-12. RMU appeared in the NEC Tournament championship game each season.
In 2012-13, Byrnes assisted in helping guide Robert Morris to an overall record of 24-11 (.686) and its 10th NEC regular-season championship thanks to a league ledger of 14-4 (.778). The Colonials earned an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
During his time as a head coach at the prep level, Byrnes compiled an overall record of 404-131 (.755), claimed a pair of New England Prep School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) championships and sent over 100 players to Division I institutions, including Louisville, Villanova, Providence, Robert Morris, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
“Michael has been involved in basketball at both the prep and collegiate level for over 20 years, and his success at the prep level speaks for itself,” head coach Andrew Toole said. “The players he’s produced, the contacts he’s made and the experience he’s gained in the prep school ranks made him a natural fit to join our staff at Robert Morris to help take our program to even greater heights.”
Byrnes has coached several players at the prep ranks that have gone on to careers in the National Basketball Association (NBA), including Francisco Garcia, who played collegiately at Louisville and has spent the last six seasons with the Sacramento Kings, and Bruno Sundov, a 7'3", 220-pound center from Croatia who was a second round pick of the Dallas Mavericks in the 1998 NBA Draft and played for five teams throughout his seven-year career.
Byrnes has ties to the Robert Morris program, having coached former forward Rob Robinson (2008-10) at the Winchendon School as well as fellow Colonial assistant coach Robby Pridgen, who is in his fifth season on the RMU staff in 2013-14.
Byrnes also coached former guard John Linehan in the prep ranks before sending him off to Providence College, where he became the NCAA all-time steals leader with 385 thefts from 1997-2002. Linehan was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in both 2001 and 2002.
Byrnes started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Division III Ferrum College in Ferrum, Va., in 1991-92 before serving in the same capacity with Division III Roanoke College in Salem, Va., in 1992-93.
From 1993 to 1995, Byrnes was both an assistant and head coach at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va., before returning to the collegiate ranks to serve as a graduate assistant coach with the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass., in 1995-96.
A 1990 graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science degree in sports management, Byrnes was a three-year letterwinner for the Minutemen, appearing in 44 career games, including a pair of starts. He was honored with the Lorenzo Sutton Award in 1988-89, which is bestowed annually to the most improved player for the program.
A native of Canton, Mass., Byrnes and his wife, Brenilda, have two daughters, Elizabeth and Ashley. They reside in Moon Township, Pa.
THE BYRNES FILE
Born: April 24, 1966
Year at RMU: second
Age: 47
Alma Mater / Year: Massachusetts / 1990
Degree: Bachelor of Science (sports management)
