Hall of Fame
J.D. BYERS, Lebanon Valley College
Basketball, Golf – Class of 2005
J.D. Byers personified the true definition of a student-athlete, combining his astounding talent on the court and links with tremendous academic success. As a senior, he was named an NABC First-Team All-American and led the Dutchmen to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Byers was pegged an academic all-American three times including twice in one year as a golfer and sharpshooting point guard during his junior campaign. In 2005, he won the Josten's Trophy, awarded to college basketball's top student-athlete, and was named the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-American of the Year.
Byers holds the program record with 301 three-point field goals made and his 1,898 points scored ranks fifth all-time among Dutchmen. In 2013, the two-time Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year (2004, 2005) was named to the MAC 100 All-Century Men's Basketball Team. He was also a three-time All-Commonwealth Conference First Team selection. Byers is one of just five men's basketball players to have his jersey retired.
Byers remains active in the game with more than decade of NCAA coaching experience under his belt, including a stint as a Dutchmen assistant. He currently mans the sidelines at Virginia Commonwealth University as an assistant under fellow MAC and LVC Hall of Famer Mike Rhoades.
Byers was inducted into the Lebanon Valley College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.