Marist University Women's Volleyball

https://goredfoxes.com/coaches.aspxrc=945&path=wvball Sean Byron is heading into his first season as Marist's head volleyball coach in the 2019 season. His hiring was announced on April 26, 2019. Byron has over two decades of coaching experience, including time as a head coach, assistant coach, and with the United States National Pipeline. Byron has won national championships as an assistant coach for the Ohio State men's team, and as head men's coach at Springfield College. He most recently served as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan for the past three seasons. A standout volleyball player at Springfield College, Byron earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education in 1993. He then earned a Master of Education in Physical Education from Springfield in 1998. He is also an instructor for the Coaching Accreditation Program (C.A.P.) National Certification courses for aspiring club, high school and college coaches in the United States and has had several published works on volleyball skills.   Byron and his wife, Julie, have two daughters: Grace (15) and Calleigh (12). At Michigan, Byron's primary responsibilities included serving as recruiting coordinator and scouting.In 2016, he helped MacKenzi Welsh earn an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection, four Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards, and a Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection.That season, he also served as offensive coordinator and helped the Wolverines earn their highest attack efficiency in 10 years. He extensively recruited and helped secure four Prep Volleyball All-Americans in 2018.Byron helped coach Michigan to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of the last three years, and helped guide the Wolverines to the Sweet Sixteen in 2016 and 2018. Michigan posted a record of 69-33 In Byron's tenure in Ann Arbor. Prior to this time at Michigan, Byron spent one season as an assistant coach at West Virginia, where he worked primarily with the offense.At West Virginia, Byron recruited a strong class that included future Big XII Freshman of the Year Payton Caffrey.   His primary responsibilities included serving as offensive and recruiting coordinator.The Buckeyes won the national championship in 2011, which capped a stretch of a four straight Final Four appearances in the NCAA Tournament.In 2014, Byron recruited Driss Guessous, who was named National Freshman and Player of the Year. Byron was the head men's and women's volleyball coach at Rutgers University-Newark from 2000-07.While at the school, Byron's men's squad qualified for the EIVA tournament and consistently ranked in the top 15 of the nation.The women's squad advanced to both the ECAC and NCAA Tournaments on various occasions.  Prior to his appointment at Rutgers University-Newark, Byron was the head men's and women's coach at East Stroudsburg from 1998-99. He spent two years as the head men's coach at Springfield College.He guided the team to the Division III national championship in his first season as head coach in 1997. Byron has worked extensively with USA Volleyball.He started as a coaching intern in 1994, and has been an assistant or head coach on nine summer developmental programs and the National B Team.These teams have combined for a record of 46-19.  

DeLoid arrives in Poughkeepsie after four highly successful seasons as head coach at Union College, where she elevated the Garnet Chargers into one of the top programs in the Liberty League and the region. In 2025, DeLoid led Union to its best season in a decade, posting a 22-9 overall record and a 7-1 mark in Liberty League play. The Chargers earned their first top-two conference finish since 2015 and recorded the program’s highest conference winning percentage (.875) since league play began in 2011. For her efforts, DeLoid and her staff were named Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. Three student-athletes earned All-Liberty League honors, while senior Shannon McGrath garnered AVCA All-Region First Team recognition and honorable mention All-America accolades. Union posted a 19-11 overall record in 2024, earning its first home postseason match since 2008 and finishing fourth in the Liberty League. Despite fielding one of the youngest rosters in the conference, the Chargers had three players named All-Liberty League, highlighted by McGrath’s First Team selection — the program’s first since 2016. DeLoid made an immediate impact during her first season, more than doubling Union’s win total from the previous year and guiding the program to its first Liberty League Tournament appearance since 2016. Her team made history by becoming the first sixth seed in conference volleyball to upset a third seed, earning a thrilling 3-2 road victory at William Smith. Prior to her time at Union, DeLoid spent three seasons as the first full-time assistant coach at Stevens Institute of Technology. She helped guide the Ducks to a combined 48-18 record, two MAC Freedom Tournament championships, and an NCAA Regional Semifinal appearance in 2019, while also mentoring the program’s first AVCA All-American. Following her hire at Union, DeLoid was selected for the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award, recognizing the nation’s top young coaching talent. DeLoid also served as Recruiting Director for DIGS Volleyball Club, coaching the 17 Red team, and previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Averett University, where she helped the Cougars to a 48-19 combined record, a 2018 USA South East Division championship, and multiple AVCA All-America and All-Conference honors. A four-year letterwinner at Framingham State University from 2012-15, DeLoid helped lead the Rams to three MASCAC Tournament championships and a 98-39 overall record. A native of Plymouth, Massachusetts, DeLoid earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Framingham State in 2016 and her MBA from Averett University in 2019.  

Sydney Neff was named to the Marist Volleyball coaching staff in the spring of 2026. Neff most recently served as an Assistant Women’s Volleyball Coach at Union College in Schenectady, NY, Sydney Neff joined the Division III coaching ranks in May 2025, bringing firsthand competitive experience and a passion for player development to the Garnet Chargers’ program. In her first season on staff, she contributed to a historic campaign that saw Union’s coaching staff honored as the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year after guiding the team to its best season in a decade with a 22–9 overall record and a dominant 7–1 mark in conference play. Prior to her transition into coaching, Sydney enjoyed a standout four-year collegiate career at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she was one of the most decorated setters in program history. She became only the third player in RIT history to earn four straight All-Liberty League honors and finished her career ranked seventh all-time with 3,907 assists. Sydney’s on-court achievements included multiple AVCA Regional and All-Conference selections, as well as academic accolades as a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. A native of Delmar, NY, Sydney was a dominant presence at the Academy of the Holy Names, earning Colonial Council Offensive Player of the Year and Setter of the Year honors before moving on to collegiate volleyball. She holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Industrial Design from RIT, blending her athletic leadership with academic excellence.