SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The appointment of Annie O'Byrne '13 as the ninth head coach in the 47-year history of the Mount Holyoke College lacrosse program gives the team a new leader dedicated to the holistic development of the team and the student-athlete. And for O'Byrne, returning to her alma mater is the perfect place for a new chapter in her coaching career.

Prior to the start of the 2022-23 academic year, O'Byrne was named the successor to Miriam Esber, who led the Mount Holyoke lacrosse program for 14 seasons.

"We are excited to have Annie return to Mount Holyoke," said Director of Athletics Jodi Canfield. "It is always very satisfying to have alums return to lead programs; it's a positive reflection of the investment Mount Holyoke made in the student-athlete experience. Annie is passionate about lacrosse, she values our mission, and it will be exciting to watch this new chapter of Lyons Lacrosse."

In the nearly 10 years since she graduated from Mount Holyoke, O'Byrne has coached lacrosse at four institutions, including head coaching jobs at Curry College and Newbury College.

In December of 2021, she earned two master's degrees from the University of Florida. The first, a Master of Science in Sport Management with a concentration in Athlete Development, the second a Master of Science in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology with a concentration in Human Performance.

"I decided to work toward both degrees at the same time, because they complement one another and I felt they would help me become a well-rounded coach, with an ethos rooted in knowledge," said O'Byrne. "There are evidence-based theories about the importance of a student-athlete's development being holistic. The aim is to prioritize the whole person, not just the 'athlete.'"

O'Byrne is well familiar with the life of a Mount Holyoke student-athlete. As a four-year member of the field hockey team playing under head coach Andy Whitcomb, she became the Lyons' starting goalkeeper, making all 17 starts in 2012 and ranking fifth in the NEWMAC in goals-against average.

"Being a student-athlete here was an informative experience for me," she said. "I learned what it meant to work harder than I had ever worked, athletically and academically. We were asked to compete with humility, integrity and heart – and that sticks with me.  I believe in the importance of being accountable to your team, your coach, yourself, and I hope I can have a similar impact on my players."

O'Byrne's first coaching role out of college was as an assistant for the Wheelock College field hockey program. During her tenure, she helped lead the team to three postseason berths and a conference championship game, while her players earned numerous all-conference accolades, including Rookie of the Year in both 2015 and 2016. 

She went on to serve as head coach at Newbury for two seasons, then moved on to a second head-coaching post at Curry College for the 2019-2021 seasons. In her first year at Curry, O'Byrne led the team's turnaround from a 4-11 record and eighth place in the Commonwealth Coast Conference to a 10-8 mark and fourth place in the league in 2020. Two of her players earned all-conference awards in 2019, and three did in 2021.

Most recently, O'Byrne served as the first assistant and offensive coordinator at Bates College for the 2022 season. She served as the team's offensive coordinator and also used performance psychology techniques learned at Florida to work through adversity on the field. "Working at Bates was an incredible opportunity to compete at a high level," she said. "I learned a lot from the teams we competed against and from the coaching staff I was able to work with. It was a fast paced, high energy, program that I feel lucky to have been part of."

While O'Byrne interviewed for the Mount Holyoke position, the team members in the program, coming off of a 1-12 record in the 2022 season, also played a large part in drawing her interest. "They were so clear and thoughtful in the way they approached the interview process; it gave me the confidence that this group is capable of doing that hard work – which is something I think every new coach hopes for," said O'Byrne. "They are ready to be pushed. They want to be successful. They want to compete."

Returning to Mount Holyoke, and armed with great experience and professional development, O'Byrne feels she has found her ideal place to lead a Division III women's lacrosse program.

"It can be hard to find your place as a coach, the place where you want to put down roots, but when it's a good fit, you know," she said. "Mount Holyoke is exactly what I remembered it to be: a group of driven, impassioned people working their hardest to drive and inspire their student-athletes. I could talk your ear off about my love for Mount Holyoke, so I'll leave it at this: the opportunity to be part of a department that has made such an indelible impact on my life, and on my decision to be a coach, is really special for me."