Shawn Patchell, Laguna Beach girl’s volleyball coach for the past five seasons has been hired by Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York to coach the Men’s volleyball program at the private school this upcoming term.
The departure leaves Laguna possibly scrambling to staff the regular season scheduled to start in four weeks. The pre-season practices were scheduled for Monday through Thursday, July 19 to 22, July 26 to 29 and the week of Aug. 2. No word from Laguna Beach High School on any changes.
Patchell had been the Men’s Volleyball Coach at Concordia for eight seasons with an overall 118-98 record including a 3-14 record in 2021. The three Eagle wins were two matches with USC and a home victory over UCLA.
Patchell’s collegiate contract was not renewed at season’s end in April.
Earlier in his career, Patchell was the head men’s coach at BYU from 2006 to 2010 where he was 87-33 in four seasons at the helm.
His Laguna Beach involvement goes back to 1997 when he was hired as an English teacher at Laguna and head coach for the boy’s volleyball program. Patchell served as the assistant head coach for the girls team in the fall of 1997 before taking over the top spot in 1998. Patchell left for the collegiate coaching ranks in 2002 but returned to coach the girl’s program in 2017. In seven indoor seasons with the girls, Patchell won six league titles and three trips to the Southern Section CIF finals. He was 56-4 in league play, 147-79 overall. This last fall Laguna participated in an outdoor sand six on six competition in lieu of the indoor season going 6-0 and capturing the unofficial Sunset League title.
Athletic Director Search Still Underway
Laguna Beach Unified School District is still in the process of selecting a new athletic director for the Breakers. Lance Neal, athletic director for the past five years, resigned earlier this summer to take a coaching position at Loara High School in the Anaheim High School District.
To submit Laguna High School Sports notes and Laguna team Summer Camp updates email Frank Aronoff at [email protected].
