Niagara director of athletics Ed McLaughlin has accepted a similar position at Virginia Commonwealth University.
McLaughlin has been the head of the NU athletic department for the last six years and during his tenure, McLaughlin has helped make Niagara men’s hockey a perennial contender in the now-defunct CHA and currently in Atlantic Hockey.
The Niagara women’s program was discontinued at the end of this past season, also a decision McLaughlin supported.
“I want to thank Fr. Levesque, Mike Jaszka, Bob Dwyer and Jeff Holzschuh for giving me the opportunity six years ago to lead the Purple Eagles,” McLaughlin said in a news release. “The experience I have had at Niagara University has been invaluable. However, I cannot pass up this opportunity for my family.”
Under McLaughlin’s leadership, athletics exposure improved as men’s hockey had two straight single-season attendance records, a video web streaming package for all men’s and women’s basketball and hockey home games was created along with numerous national television appearances. He also helped create the Niagara Sports Network.
McLaughlin’s leadership led him to numerous national positions in college athletics administration, including the Division I-AAA Athletics Director Association Executive Committee for the 2011-12 term, chair of the CHA Directors Committee and the chairman of the NCAA Hockey Rules Committee. From 2008-2010, McLaughlin served as the commissioner of the CHA.
Michigan State head coach Tom Anastos will assume the role of rules committee chair on Sept. 1. McLaughlin’s term expires at that time.
