UCSD losing women’s volleyball coach to Loyola Marymount

After five seasons as head coach of the UC San Diego women’s volleyball program, Tom Black will step down to take the head coaching position at Loyola Marymount, UCSD Director of Athletics Earl W. Edwards announced on Tuesday.

Black will take over the Lions’ program after guiding the Tritons to a 29-3 overall record and fourth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance in 2009.

“I am truly grateful for all the opportunities UCSD has given me,” Black said. “As a student-athlete and head coach, this university and athletic department have given me some of the most significant experiences of my life. I am forever grateful to Earl Edwards, Wendy Taylor-May, and Ken Grosse for allowing me the opportunity to lead this program. I also want to thank the wonderful student-athletes here who have allowed me to coach them, and in the process, enriched my life beyond measure.

“This is a great institution, first and foremost, because of the caliber of people who are a part of it, and I’m looking forward to following all of UCSD’s future success.”

Black recorded an overall record of 115-29 in five seasons at UCSD, while guiding the Tritons to postseason play each of the last four years. UCSD advanced to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals in 2006 and Black was named the Tachikara/AVCA D-II Pacific Region Coach of the Year at the end of the season.

Black has coached a total of four AVCA All-Americans -- including Sylvia Schmidt, Elaine Chen, and Roxanne Brunsting last season -- and two California Collegiate Athletic Association Players of the Year during his tenure. He was named the CCAA Co-Coach of the Year in his second season with the program and at least three Tritons have been named to all-conference teams in each of his five seasons.

The Tritons won 28 out of 30 regular season games in 2009 and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll. Black recorded his 100th victory at UCSD on September 26 after the Tritons swept Cal State Stanislaus at RIMAC Arena. UCSD went on to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and swept San Francisco State in the first round, before falling to CCAA rival Cal State L.A. in three sets in round two. Schmidt was named the CCAA Player of the Year, while three Tritons earned all-conference first team honors.

“Tom did a fantastic job for us during his tenure at UCSD,” Edwards said. “I know he will go on and do great things at LMU and we wish him the very best going forward.”

A 1996 graduate from UCSD, Black was a four-year varsity letterwinner with the men’s volleyball program. He set numerous hitting records for the Tritons and was an All-MPSF selection as a senior. He was also named Volleyball Magazine’s Small College Player of the Year in 1996 and went on to earn Small College All-American honors that same year.

Black replaces longtime coach Steve Stratos at Loyola Marymount, who posted an overall record of 384-212 in 20 seasons with the program. The Lions finished with an overall record of 12-17 and posted a 3-11 mark in the West Coast Conference in 2009.