LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego Director of Athletics Andy Fee has announced the hiring of Spencer McLachlin as the Tritons’ new women’s volleyball head coach. McLachlin becomes the eighth head coach in program history. The 2026 season will mark UC San Diego’s final in The Big West before the program transitions to the West Coast Conference prior to the 2027 campaign.
 
“Spencer brings exactly what we need at this moment. He’s helped build winning programs, developed All-Americans, and knows how to compete at the highest level,” Fee said. “His playing career at Stanford and coaching experience at Hawaii, Cal, UCLA, Indiana, and USC give him a deep understanding of what championship volleyball looks like in major conferences. But what really stood out was his approach to the whole scholar-athlete experience. He gets what we’re building here at UC San Diego as we establish ourselves in Division I and look ahead to the West Coast Conference. Our scholar-athletes are going to love playing for him, and I’m confident he’ll have this program competing for championships.” 

McLachlin recently completed his third season as an associate head coach for the USC women’s volleyball program. He helped lead the Women of Troy to 25 wins, a fourth-place finish in the ultra-competitive Big Ten, and an NCAA second round appearance. The 2025 team placed six on all-conference teams. In 2024, the Trojans advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third straight year and finished 22-10 overall with a 13-7 mark in the Big Ten (tied for sixth). Setter Mia Tuaniga was named to the AVCA All-America third team. In his first season with the Women of Troy, McLachlin helped USC go 19-13 with a 12-8 mark in Pac-12 matches for a fifth-place finish. Outside hitter Skylar Fields was honored with AVCA All-America first-team recognition.

 

“I am thrilled to join UC San Diego as the Head Coach of the women’s volleyball program,” McLachlin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of an historic and beautiful university and build a program with great potential. I want to thank Andy Fee for trusting my family and me with this role, for his commitment to supporting the future of Triton athletics, and for his vision of the volleyball program specifically. His leadership and commitment to excellence make this an exciting time to be part of the UC San Diego athletic department. Go Tritons!”

Previously, McLachlin served as the associate head coach at Indiana in 2022 where he was responsible for coordinating the defense and blocking. The Hoosiers were 16-16 and went 9-11 in the Big Ten to finish eighth in the conference standings. IU’s nine conference victories were its most since 2010 and the team had its highest finish since the Big Ten expanded to 14 teams (2014).

 

Prior to Indiana, McLachlin was an assistant coach for the UCLA men’s volleyball program for four years, from 2018-2021. He has also had experience coaching at the international level with the U.S. men’s national team where he was on staffs for squads which competed in the Pan American Cup and NORCECA Champions cup.

 

Before he joined the UCLA men’s program, McLachlin spent two seasons (2016-17) as an assistant coach at California for the Golden Bears’ women’s team. In 2017, he was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 list, an honor presented to up-and-coming coaching talents across all levels of volleyball. McLachlin got his start in coaching as an assistant for the men’s volleyball program at Hawai’i. During his time with the Warriors, the team earned a bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.

 

As a student-athlete, McLachlin competed at Stanford from 2008-11 as an outside hitter. He won a national championship with the Cardinal in 2010 and finished his career among the program’s all-time leaders in kills with 1,288. McLachlin was a senior captain, an All-MPSF second team selection, and received MPSF all-academic team recognition three times.

 

McLachlin graduated from Stanford with a degree in political science in 2011 and completed a Master of Education in 2012 while serving as a club coach for the Bay-to-Bay Volleyball Club.

 

As a professional athlete, McLachlin was an outside hitter for Mas NIKI Aiginio in Greece for three years from 2012 to 2014.

 

McLachlin and his wife Diane have three children: daughters Leila and Malia, and a son, Koa.

 

About UC San Diego Athletics

After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.

 

MADISON, Wis. – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and LEARFIELD released its Fall Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup standings this Tuesday, with Wisconsin placing eighth after a another successful fall season.

The Badgers finished the season with 236.00 points, within 10 points of Georgetown, Colorado and BYU who finished in seventh, sixth and fifth, respectively. North Carolina finished as the top program with 359.00 points.

This is the third straight fall season where the Badgers have finished within the top-ten schools. UW also was the Big Ten’s top finisher, edging out Washington at No. 10 overall with 228.00 points

Wisconsin’s point total was bolstered this fall by a final four appearance from the volleyball team, led by AVCA All-American Mimi Colyer. The team made its third final-four appearance in the past five seasons, compiling a 28-5 overall record, including a 13-1 stretch in its last 14 matches. Wisconsin finished as the third-ranked volleyball team in Learfield standings, coming up with 83 points.

The men’s cross country team contributed the second most points with 55, after a third place NCAA regional placement led to a 19th place finish at the NCAA Championships in Columbia, Missouri. Liam Newhart led the team with 29:28.5 time at the 10K Gans Creek Cross Country Course.

The Badgers were rewarded 50 points from their women’s soccer team after clincing their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Wisconsin took down three top-10 ranked teams on its way to a 14-6-2 record, peaking with a 3-2 overtime victory over Western Michigan in NCAAs. The Badgers finished the season as the 17th ranked women’s soccer program in the standings.

Additionally, the women’s cross country competed at the NCAA Championships in their fifth consecutive appearance in the final meet of the season. The unit finished in 26th place, providing 48 points to round out the scoring for the Badgers.

The Learfield Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in NCAA Championships.

Wisconsin’s history in the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup can be viewed here.

Lauren Lee’s journey to an unprecedented 5,000 career assists for the Hope College volleyball team began on the beach.

The standout Hope setter often traveled to sandy courts with her family as a child. Lee did not need to look far for inspiration to pick up the sport — or to decide where she wanted to play.

“I started playing volleyball because my dad played at the University of Michigan. He was a setter on their men’s team,” Lee said of her father, Dr. Stan Lee, an orthopaedic spine surgeon at Lucent Spine, PLLC, Specialists in Spine Surgery, in the Detroit area. “I grew up watching him play beach volleyball with his friends. I became a setter because of my dad’s passion for the position and the game. He showed me all the tricky things you can do as a setter and how impactful the position can be.”

Lee, a biology major, closed an outstanding four-year career for the Flying Dutch that included numerous individual achievements:

• 5,001 career assists over 129 matches, a school record;
• four All-America selections from the American Volleyball Coaches Association;
• four All-MIAA First Team honors, including Most Valuable Player as a senior and Freshman of the Year in 2022;
• one AVCA Freshman of the Year award.

Lee played a central role in an exceptional four-year stretch for Hope volleyball.

The Flying Dutch finished as national runner-up in 2023, reached the national semifinals in 2024 and advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2022. Hope earned three consecutive MIAA regular-season championships for the second time in program history and captured back-to-back MIAA Tournament titles for the first time.

 

Setting the Table

In all, Lee set the table for the Flying Dutch’s success, head coach Becky Schmidt said.

“I’m super proud of Lauren — 5,000 assists is absolutely huge,” Schmidt said. “She’s an incredible setter and just does so much for us. It’s been so much fun to watch.”

Schmidt believes Hope benefited greatly from Lee playing for the Flying Dutch.

“If she were four or five inches taller, she’d be playing in the Big Ten and doing really great things,” Schmidt said. “I am so thankful for her contributions over her four years. She has done really great things.”

Lee is grateful she chose Hope four years ago as well. While the team’s accomplishments have been rewarding and the individual accolades and milestones bring pride, she said they happened because of the people she played with.

“I am super proud of myself, but more importantly, I am thankful for the help of my team for the past four years,” Lee said. “The primary reason I have been able to reach 5,000 assists is because of the amazing hitters who have put the ball away, the passers who have handled serves and swings so that I can have full offensive autonomy, and the coaching staff who has helped us extend our season as long as possible every year.

“I am humbled and grateful to receive the credit and praise, but this milestone is truly a product of a team effort.”

The journey to 5,000 collegiate assists — and so much more — started with logging countless hours on the beach as a young fan.

Like her father, Lee has shown others how to set and assist teammates on the court. It’s a shared family passion.

“I just love the feeling of chasing down the ball and fixing plays,” Lee said. “When it’s perfect, I love setting others up for success because I know I can’t hit the ball as hard as Kamryn Burbridge or Ella Contant. It’s so awesome to see someone hit the ball as hard as possible.”

 

Winning championships is always the top goal for any athletic program. However, when you go deep into the postseason, especially in volleyball, it can interfere with the staff’s ability to recruit. That’s a good problem to have when you’re bringing home hardware, and Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison is already getting work done in the NCAA transfer portal.

Needing to reload a roster that’s losing nine seniors, including four All-Americans and two future professional players, Coach Morrison received some major news on Tuesday. It was announced that former Ohio State middle blocker Kaia Castle and Marquette outside hitter Natalie Ring have committed to Texas A&M. This gives him both a young talent to develop and a proven veteran with high-level production.

STOCKTON, Calif. – A former student-athlete and assistant coach, Pacific brought back volleyball alumnus Jeff Hendershot as head women’s volleyball coach, announced Tuesday by Director of Athletics Adam Tschuor.
 
“I am honored and energized to return to my alma mater as the head coach of Pacific women’s volleyball. This is truly a dream opportunity for me, and I want to thank Adam Tschuor, President Christopher Callahan, and the university administration for their belief in me and their trust in my leadership,” Hendershot said.
 
Hendershot, who graduated cum laude from Pacific in 2009 with a degree in sports management, was a four-year letterwinner on the men’s volleyball team from 2006–09. He recorded 605 kills, 281 digs, 142 blocks, and 47 assists across 98 career matches. As a senior in 2009, he started 20 matches and led the squad with 256 kills.
 
Hendershot returned to campus as the men’s assistant coach for Pacific’s final season in 2014 before the program was discontinued, prior to the university’s announcement of the men’s volleyball program’s return in 2027.
 
“What excites me the most is the chance to connect with our athletes every day, to help them grow and to continue building a program that reflects the very best of Pacific,” Hendershot said. “This program has a proud and distinguished legacy, and we are here to win on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. I am committed to carrying that legacy forward while creating a new, vibrant chapter that unites our alumni, campus community and supporters. I can’t wait to get to work.”
 
Hendershot most recently spent six seasons as the head women’s volleyball coach at the University of La Verne, a Division III institution in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This past season, he led the Leopards to one of the best years in program history, capturing a regional championship, advancing to the national championship match and finishing with a 30-3 overall record.
 
“Coach Hendershot is a proven leader, an outstanding teacher of the game, and someone who deeply understands what it means to represent Pacific,” Tschuor said. “His success at La Verne speaks for itself, but just as important is his commitment to student-athlete development and building a program. Bringing Coach Hendershot back to Pacific is a special moment for our department, and we are confident he will lead our women’s volleyball program to sustained success.”
 
La Verne’s historic season followed the program’s first-ever SCIAC Tournament Championship in 2024 and an Elite Eight appearance. Hendershot also guided the Leopards to a Sweet 16 finish in 2023.
 
During his six seasons at the helm, Hendershot coached one National Player of the Year, eight All-Americans, 10 All-Region selections, 12 All-SCIAC honorees, nine First-Team All-SCIAC selections, two Region 10 Players of the Year, and two SCIAC Athletes of the Year. Hendershot and his staff were named SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year twice (2023, 2025).
 
Under Hendershot’s tutelage, Mya Ray emerged as one of the most accomplished athletes in La Verne history. Ray became a four-time All-American, three-time first-team All-American, and a two-time SCIAC and Region 10 Athlete of the Year, among numerous additional accolades.
 
Hendershot earned his 100th career victory on Sept. 12, 2025, leading La Verne to a comeback win after trailing 2–0 to defeat No. 3 UW–Oshkosh on the road. In the same match, Ray became the program’s all-time leader in kills.
 
Hendershot spent a total of 15 seasons at La Verne across two stints, first joining the staff as an assistant coach in 2011. He returned to Pacific for the 2013–14 season before rejoining La Verne, where he was promoted to associate head coach in 2017. He helped guide the program to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
 
A native of Southern California, Hendershot played at Claremont High School where he was a three-year letterwinner with the Wolfpack.
 
He and his wife, Sarine Dadourian, have two children, Amelia and Alex.
 
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