Karl Byrne enters his first year with the Dolphins and will serve as an assistant coach for track & field program (distance runners) and cross country.

Prior to JU, Byrne spent the past five years as a coach for the Donore Harriers in Dublin, Ireland. Donore, which was founded in 1893, is one of the oldest running clubs in Ireland and features a men's and women's program.

Along with working with athletes on the club level, Byrne is also the personal coach for his wife, Jolene (formerly Jolene Williams of Coastal Carolina). Among her career accomplishments is a silver medal in the Senior Women European XC in 2003 while also finishing 5th in the International Association of Athletics Foundation (IAAF) 10,000-meter World Rankings in 2005. She has also personal best times of 4:11 in the 1,500-meter, 9:02 in the 3,000-meter, 15:55 in the 5,000-meter and 32:21 in the 10,000-meter.

Byrne also served as the personal coach for Aoife Byrne (no relation), who was a semi-finalist at the European Track & Field Championships in the 1,500-meter in 2006. Among her personal best marks are 55.00 in the 400-meter, 2:01 in the 800-meter and 4:12 in the 1,500-meter.

A four-year letterwinner in cross country at Coastal Carolina from 1996-2000, Byrne was an Academic All-American and earned his bachelor's degree in business communications in 2000.