Longwood University Athletics

Iain Byers moved into athletics administration in the summer of 2022 after 14 seasons as the head coach of the Longwood field hockey program. He oversees the internal operations of the athletic department.

During his tenure at the helm of the field hockey program, the Lancers turned from a fledgling Division I program to consistent contenders in the Mid-American Conference.

He finished his head coaching career as the winningest coach in Longwood field hockey history, a rich and deep one that dates back to 1927.

In his final season as the head coach, he led the team to the MAC Championship game since joining the league in 2014. During his tenure, he coached the program's first four-time All-MAC selection in Luna Lopez, and he was at the helm for all four players who earned VaSID All-State honors.

During his tenure, Byers and the field hockey program have transitioned from the NORPAC conference – based out of the West Coast with Stanford, California, Pacific, UC Davis – to the Mid-American Conference along with Appalachian State, Ball State, Central Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio and Bellarmine.

Longwood completed the transition before the 2014 season and have made improvements each year culminating in a trip to the MAC Championship game in 2021. The team finished third or better six times in eight seasons in the league under Byers.

Byers and company have carried the standard for student-athletes getting it done both on the field and in the classroom garnering more All-MAC selections each season as well as NFHCA All-Academic awards.

Coach Iain Byers has also brought in many talented international student-athletes - the first coach to bring international players to the program -  and has raised money for the program throughout his tenure. A number of his international student-athletes have hade successful careers including former team captain Lil-Sophie Achterwinter and four-time All-MAC performer Edel Nyland.

Byers' style of coaching and mix of American and international talent has elevated the program to new heights while also generating citizen leaders with the opportunity to bring many different cultures together through sports.

Byers has also worked extensively within the US Field Hockey structure, has coached at the US High Performance Level with the South Region from 2009-2011, and ran the Futures Elite Academy site in 2012.  He also has experience with the US Coaching Accreditation level 3, the highest level of coaching in the US. He was an assistant coach at Lock Haven University during 2004 (19-1, 8-0 Northeast Conference), and helped coach at St. Louis University during the 2003 preseason while assisting at the 2003 Champions Edge Elite Camps in Princeton, New Jersey.

Byers was a player/coach for Canterbury Christ Church University College in Canterbury, England during 2000-01, coached with the Canterbury Hockey Club (2001-05), and at the Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical School (1998).

A native of Canterbury, England, Byers earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business studies with a concentration in sport psychology and coaching from Canterbury Christ Church. He played field hockey for three years at Canterbury Christ Church.