The University of Pennsylvania has added NCAA champion Lucas Byrd and Jake McKiernan as assistant coaches for the 2026-27 season, head coach Matt Valenti announced.

Byrd comes to Philadelphia following a decorated career at Illinois, where he became a four-time NCAA All-American and captured the 133-pound national championship in 2025. A Cincinnati native, Byrd compiled a 119-21 career record with the Fighting Illini and finished the 2024-25 season 23-1, winning both the Big Ten and NCAA titles. He earned All-America honors in each of his four NCAA appearances, placing fifth in 2021 and 2022, winning the national title in 2025 and finishing eighth in 2026, becoming just the second four-time All-American in Illinois history.

McKiernan joins the Quakers after most recently serving as the inaugural head coach of the Southern Illinois Regional Training Center. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, SIUE, where he also competed, recording 48 wins at 197 pounds and heavyweight.

Byrd and McKiernan join assistant coach Lennox Wolak on Valenti's staff. With Byrd's addition, Penn's coaching staff now includes three former NCAA All-Americans and two national champions in Byrd and Valenti.