Shawn McLaughlin joined the University of the Incarnate Word volleyball program as their first full-time assistant coach in July 2013. He has helped bring in a few quality recruiting classes and has the team primed for success going forward.
He played a critical role in all aspects of the program in its first year as a member of NCAA Division I and the Southland Conference in 2013. McLaughlin helped the team go 13-13 overall with a more impressive 7-7 record against SLC opponents. In the offseason, he played a large part in bringing in a recruiting class of eight players, including a pair of top-notch transfers.
The second season in the Southland Conference did not go as well, but McLaughlin's recruits earned valuable playing time. Six different freshmen appeared in at least 47 sets. Bryaunea Hall jumped right into the starting lineup as a freshman and Madison Williams worked her way into the rotation as a setter allowing the team to run a 5-1 formation.
McLaughlin played collegiately at Lindenwood University located in St. Charles, MO. He has worked with three other collegiate programs prior to joining UIW and has head coaching experience at the club level.
McLaughlin came to UIW from the University of Denver where he was the Data Project Video Coordinator and assisted with team travel, recruiting, budgeting and scouting reports. During the 2011 season, he was with University of Nevada-Reno where he started as an assistant coach and moved up to Director of Volleyball Operations. His first collegiate job was as a volunteer assistant coach at University of California-Davis for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
McLaughlin has worked extensively at the Club level since 2001. He has been the head coach for Colorado Volleyball Association (2009-11), Silver State Volleyball Club (2001-04, 2011-13), Force Volleyball Club (2009-11) and St. Charles United Volleyball Club (2006-08). He coached a Regional championship team with Colorado Volleyball Association and led the Force Volleyball Club to a 10th place finish at USA Junior Nationals in 2009.
McLaughlin graduated from Lindenwood in 2009 with a degree in history education with a minor in social studies. He played setter and libero for the four-time Heart of America Conference champions. He also helped lead the team to three NAIA Final Four appearances and a pair of runner-up finishes.
McLaughlin has worked with USA Volleyball at the 2013 USA Junior National and A2 National Tryout, the 2012 USA High Performance Tryout and as a USA High Performance Select Camp Coach.
