Shane Byrne is a senior pre-season All-American outfielder for the baseball Buccaneers. His kid sister, Tara, is a competitive freshman on the women’s tennis team. “She’s tough,” said big brother in regards to Tara’s athleticism.
It is likely Shane and his two other brothers helped keep Tara on her game.
“We gave her a hard time,” admits Shane. “She played basketball and baseball outside with us and all the neighbors growing up. Tara was the only girl out there with all the boys.”
Tara says the rough play simply made her a fierce contender. “We’ve always been a competitive family. We try to beat whoever we play against and each other,” said the freshman.
The fact that these Johnson City siblings continued their education at ETSU is no coincidence. Their father and mother met on the East Tennessee State University campus some 25 years ago.
Father, Charles Byrne played golf for the Bucs in the late ’70s-early ’80s. “Golf was strong then and has gotten even better,” said Charles. Mr. Byrne is being somewhat modest. One of the golf teams he was a member of won the Southern Conference title and kept the tradition alive.
Mother, Betsy, played basketball at a junior college before transferring to ETSU where she and Charles met. “Mom for Tara and Dad for me,” Shane said, remembering how his parents would encourage them in sports. “Dad has probably thrown me thousands on top of thousands of balls for batting practice.” The pre-season All-American says his folks never pushed sports on them but were always very supportive.
The East Tennessean caught up with Mr. and Mrs. Byrne at Tara’s latest tennis match in the Memorial Center, “Athletics is a good way to keep the children busy and out of trouble,” the Byrnes said simultaneously with a smile.
Shane and Tara recognize that good coaching at East Tennessee State has improved their game since becoming Buccaneers. Tara said she worked out extensively over the summer, led by head women’s tennis coach Steve Brooks.
“Every match you play in college is a tough one,” Tara said. The freshman has also had some serious workouts with teammates throughout the off season. “We have different styles on the team and I think we are going to be really good this year,” said she.
Shane said he was not quite All-American material when he arrived as a freshman. “Head coach (Tony) Skole knows baseball. It is an honor (to earn national recognition) but it also speaks a lot about this program.”
Shane’s batting average went from a .270 his freshman campaign to .455 as a junior.
Sports competition is a family tradition for the Byrnes. Tommy Byrne, Charles Byrne’s grandfather, won five World Series with the New York Yankees throughout the 1940s and ’50s. “It is nice to have him come to the games.”
Shane said his grandfather still gets out to his baseball games and his sister’s tennis matches.
Shane helped the baseball Bucs defeat the Eagles of Eastern Michigan on Feb. 3 by knocking two runs home with a line drive up center field.
Tara and teammate Olya Batsula won their top seeded doubles match-up against Kennesaw State on Sunday Feb. 5.

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