Division I and the Big West may be a pipe dream for us, but there is one demographic for which there is no glass ceiling: UCSD coaches. More specifically, successful UCSD coaches.
        
        With the announcement of three-time conference coach of the year Charity Elliot’s departure for Division I Loyola Marymount, just weeks after putting together a the winningest season in program history, I couldn’t help but be reminded of 2011 head baseball coach Dan O’Brien.

         O’Brien has sat at the helm of Triton baseball for the previous 14 years. In his last two seasons as head coach, O’Brien led the Tritons to two regular season titles, where the Tritons made their program debut at the NCAA Division II World Series. His success at the national level has obviously caught the attention of the collegiate baseball realm, as O’Brien accepted a head coaching position at Santa Clara University last season. In his first season with the Division I Broncos, O’Brien has amassed a 18-12 record, with conference series against USF, UOP and BYU remaining, O’Brien already has a better record than his predecessor, who went 16-34 overall and 4-17 in the West Coast Conference.

         Preceding O’Brien was Triton volleyball coach Tom Black. Black a former gold-medalist, graduated from UCSD in 1996. Black currently serves as a consultant coach for the the U.S. Olympic men’s volleyball team, before which he accepted a coaching position at Loyola Marymount. Black guided the 2010 Lion roster to a 15-15 record, and a fourth-place finish in the West Coast Conference.

Elliott will follow Black to Loyola, where she will have her work cut out for her.  

The bottom of the conference Lions went 8-22 overall last season and 3-13 in the West Coast Conference.

But Elliott has a proven track record of turning teams around. Back in 2005, Elliott led Division I Portland State to their first Big Sky conference tournament in their previous three years.

         But until UCSD is acknowledged by the Big West, UCSD will continue to serve as a stepping-stone for under-appreciated collegiate coaches.