MIKE BYRNE: THE HEART OF THE FIREWOLVES

ALBANY, NY – Everyone’s story to greatness is different. The same goes for Albany FireWolves defenseman Mike Byrne. 

Byrne was not considered a top National Lacrosse League (NLL) prospect once he finished his time in Junior-A for the Toronto Beaches. He never got the call and was never selected in the NLL Draft. But Byrne didn’t let that slow him down. He spent time playing in the Arena Lacrosse League until he was given a contract to play for the New England Black Wolves in the 2019 season. 

Since then, Byrne has solidified himself as a relentless defender in the NLL. Now in his sixth NLL season, Byrne has scooped up 294 loose balls, won 63 faceoffs, caused 60 turnovers, and tallied fourteen points to his name. 

“He certainly is somebody that leads by example and motivates guys,” said Albany FireWolves head coach Glenn Clark. “He does it by his effort, his work ethic and his path because he wasn’t a guy that was touted to be a pro player coming out of juniors. He has done it with hard work, persistence, and effort. He’s gotten better every year.”

Coach Clark admires that once Byrne steps onto the floor he is prepared to give nothing but his all. 

“If you were to ask anyone on how to describe him (Byrne) it would just be work rate and effort,” said Clark. “He plays so hard, he works so hard. His skill and his IQ have developed along with that over the years to the point where he is becoming a good, everyday NLL player.”

That hardworking style of play can be seen in this transition goal against Las Vegas earlier this season. Watch below:

Byrne has several factors that drive him each time he suits up, but there is one in particular that is always on his mind. 

“My goal is to win a championship,” said Byrne. “I love coming to the rink with these guys. There are definitely a lot of ups and downs when you are winning and losing, but I just love competing as hard as I can, and I want to compete for a championship.”

Despite Albany not being in the position where they want to be in terms of record, Byrne continues to work each day with a clean slate.  

“We’re not giving up at all,” said Byrne. “We have eight games left, we can string a lot of wins together and just keep playing hard. We just have to find the positives in our game and build off the little wins.”

If every member of the FireWolves can play with the no quit mentality of Mike Byrne, there is always hope to turn things around.

Fans can watch Byrne in action tomorrow night at 7 pm as the FireWolves take on the Philadelphia Wings at MVP Arena.

Join us for Alphie’s Birthday this Saturday, February 22 as over a dozen of his mascot friends will join us for a fun filled game! Get tickets now for Alphie’s Birthday on February 22! Fans can take advantage of the best ticket prices around starting at $15.96! For more information regarding tickets, visit www.albanyfirewolves.com or call/text the FireWolves front office at 518-675-8678 to avoid fees.       

About Albany FireWolves    

The Albany FireWolves is the Capital Region’s very own Professional Box Lacrosse team, playing in the National Lacrosse League out of the MVP Arena in downtown Albany, NY. For more information, contact the Albany FireWolves Front Office at (518) 675-8678 or visit AlbanyFireWolves.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/AlbFireWolves, Twitter @AlbFireWolves, and Instagram @AlbFireWolves.   

About the National Lacrosse League   

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 14 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, Ottawa Black Bears, Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors. For more information, visit NLL.com and find @NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.   

About MVP Arena    

MVP Arena is a full-service entertainment and sports facility featuring a wide variety of family shows, sporting events, trade shows and concerts. Owned by Albany County and managed by ASM Global, MVP Arena opened in 1990 and is home to the Albany FireWolves of the National Lacrosse League, the Albany Firebirds of the AFL 1 Arena Football League and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. For more information, please visit https://www.mvparena.com/