Justin Byron

Justin Byron is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Vanderbilt women’s track and field program in 2021-22 and works primarily with the jumps and multi athletes. Byron also serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator and director of player development.

The Prince George’s County, Maryland native joins the Commodores after three years in the Ivy League with Cornell, most recently as the Associate Head Coach for the Big Red.

While in Ithaca, Byron coached two All-Americans, five school records and 19 new marks on the school’s all-time top 10 lists. He tutored Beatrice Juskevicuit who won the conference title in the heptathalon in 2020.

Prior to Cornell, Byron was the head coach of Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, Virginia, where they captured 11 state titles, including indoor and outdoor. Byron led 47 individuals and 15 relay teams to state championships while breaking 11 Virginia state records. On the national stage, Byron-coached prep student-athletes boasted six all-time top 10 marks, five national meet records, and 14 national crowns.

On four occasions (2015-18), he was named both the Virginia High School League Girls Indoor and Outdoor Coach of the Year, and twice he was tabbed as the USTFCCCA Virginia High School Girls Coach of the Year (2015, 2016).

In 2010, Byron founded 5 Star Track Program, a youth track and field club designed to promote academic and athletic success. In addition to claiming three AAU National Club Championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014, the program implemented a college prep program that produced a 100 percent high school graduation rate with more than 80 percent going on to pursue higher education. Of the athletes that were part of the year-round training program, 14 won high school state championships, four claimed high school national championships and one set a high school national record.

Byron also served as the executive director of the Athletic Bridge Experience, a non-profit with a two-fold focus of helping student-athletes strive for academic and athletic excellence and to increase youth health and fitness for both athletes and non-athletes in the community.

A five time all-academic selection at North Carolina A&T, Byron was a seven-time conference champion, and qualified for the NCAA Championships in the indoor and outdoor 200 and 400 meters.

Byron attended Oxon Hill High school in Maryland. In 2002, he placed in the state meet in the 200 and 400 and anchored his squad to a national indoor title in the 4×200 relay.

Byron obtained his master of science in recreation and sports science in 2014 from Ohio University. He graduated cum laude from North Carolina A&T with bachelor of science in business finance.

Byron was born in Washington D.C. to Cyril and Marsha Jones-Byron.

The Byron File 
Coaching Experience 
• Assistant Coach, Vanderbilt (2021-present
• Associate Head Coach, Cornell (2019-21)
• Assistant Coach, Cornell (2018-2019)
• Head Coach, Nansemond River High School (2012-Present)
• Assistant Coach, North Carolina A&T (2006-07)

Coaching Honors 
• Two-time recipient of the Virginia High School Girls Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2016
• Milestat Virginia High School Coach of the Year in 2015
• Three-time honoree of the VHSL Class 5A Girls Outdoor Coach of the Year award in 2016, 2017 and 2018
• Three-time recipient of the VHSL Class 5A Girls Indoor Coach of the Year award in 2016, 2017 and 2018