Jim McLaughlin, associate director of athletics at Brown University and a 1993 graduate of Union College, has been named director of athletics at Union, it was announced March 14 by President Roger Hull.
McLaughlin, who served as assistant football coach at Union from 1993 to 1996, earned his master's in business administration from the College in 1997.
“I'm delighted to welcome Jim back to his alma mater at such an exciting time for the College and our athletics program,” Hull said. “We had a tremendously strong field of candidates, and the search committee chaired by Prof. Ken DeBono has done a wonderful job. Jim's familiarity with Union coupled with his experience in the Ivy League make him an ideal fit for Union.”
“I'm grateful for the opportunity to be returning to my alma mater as the next director of athletics,” McLaughlin said. “There is a strong, talented administrative and coaching staff in place within the department and the support for the program from the senior administration and faculty was apparent during my visit.
“Union has attained national prominence as an elite academic institution and achieved great success on the playing fields as well,” McLaughlin said. “I'm excited to begin working with and supporting Union students in pursuit of academic and athletic excellence.”
McLaughlin, who will begin in May, will administer a department of 25 varsity programs, 23 at the Division III level, and two – men's and women's ice hockey – at Division I. He will be responsible for long-term planning and development of athletic programs; hiring and supervising coaches and staff; and overseeing departmental budgets, facilities, fundraising and marketing.
McLaughlin succeeds Val Belmonte, who left Union last fall to become executive director of U.S. Figure Skating, the governing body for the sport. Dwight Wolf, associate dean for academic services, has served as acting director of athletics. Richard Sakala, who retired as athletic director in 2000, rejoined the department in January as acting associate director.
At Brown since 2001, McLaughlin was associate director of athletics for finance, responsible for the development and management of the department's $11 million annual budget. He was also responsible for external relations including marketing and corporate partnership, athletic communications and ticket operations. He was a sport administrator for women's lacrosse, women's soccer and men's basketball.
Before joining Brown, he spent four years at Princeton University with an eventual role as assistant director of athletics for business operations. Before that, in 1997, he was interim director of intramurals and physical education at Brown.
As Union's assistant football coach from 1993 to 1996, he coached the offensive line and assisted the offensive coordinator. The football team made the NCAA playoffs in 1993 and 1995. He recruited student athletes from the Northeast region.
He is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the College Athletic Business Managers Association (CABMA).
McLaughlin earned his bachelor's degree in history from Union. He played offensive line for Union football, and was named Associated Press and Champion second-team All American.
He and his wife, Jeannie, have a one-year-old daughter, Cassidy.
