McLaughlin Is No Stranger to Lion Volleyball Program : Colleges: The Pepperdine assistant, who played at Loyola Marymount, returns to his alma mater to coach the men’s team.

Loyola Marymount has reached into its past to find a men’s volleyball coach.

Rick McLaughlin, who played at Loyola from 1987-90 before serving as an assistant at Pepperdine the past two seasons, has been named the Lions’ coach.

McLaughlin, 24, succeeds Mike Normand, who resigned in April after coaching the Lions for four seasons, including a 3-24 record last season.

“We are excited to welcome Rick back to LMU,” Athletic Director Brian Quinn said. “He was an outstanding player for us and has proven to be an excellent coach on the collegiate level. I feel confident he will do a fine job with our program.”

McLaughlin was a setter for four seasons at Loyola. As a senior in 1990, he helped lead the Lions to a 9-10 record and No. 8 ranking--the highest ranking in school history. During his stay at Pepperdine, the Waves won an NCAA championship. McLaughlin also has been an assistant with the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams.

“I kind of had a plan when I left to come back (to Loyola), and I knew I wanted to get into coaching,” McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said his experience under Pepperdine Coach Marv Dunphy will help him at Loyola.

“There’s no better place to get ready for something like this than under Marv,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a better program you can learn at. He’s probably the best coach in the world.”

McLaughlin’s older brother, Jim, is the men’s volleyball coach at USC.

“Those are the two people (Dunphy and his brother) I’ve learned the most about the game from,” McLaughlin said. “Our teams will probably be similar. It’ll be a lot of fun to play against Marv Dunphy and my brother Jim.”

McLaughlin is confident he can quickly turn around the program.

“I’m shooting for next year,” he said. “I don’t believe in labeling it a rebuilding year, and I think we’re capable of going out and competing on a national level next year.”

He is also optimistic about being able to recruit against programs such as Pepperdine, UCLA and USC.

“I know we can do a good job of getting kids to come here because it’s a great facility and academically it’s just a great campus,” he said. “We’re also right in a hotbed (for volleyball) so we have a lot of athletes to draw from. There’s a lot of potential whether you have (scholarship) money to give them or not. All you have to do is go out and find them.”

McLaughlin has several players returning, including seniors Andy Zimmerman at middle blocker, Craig Adamoli at setter and Wayne Seligson at outside hitter.

McLaughlin will also have former Lion teammates as assistants, Mike Longacre and Chuck Donlon.

“I think things will definitely work out,” he said. “I like the people who we have coming back and it’s a good staff.”

Former Torrance High standout Julie Jamile has been named an assistant to Loyola women’s volleyball Coach Steve Stratos.

It is the first coaching position for Jamile, who is Santa Clara’s all-time career assist leader with 3,875 and dig leader with 1,273. She also holds the West Coast Conference record for service aces with 182. Jamile, who was a setter, was a second-team All-WCC selection as a freshman, junior and senior and earned first-team honors as a sophomore.

Jamile also was chosen as the Ocean League’s most valuable player as a junior and senior at Torrance. She will join Larry Smoot as a Lion assistant.