For the past decade, Dan McLaughlin was the animated head coach of the Zephyr Cove Whittell volleyball team. But after building one of the top programs in Nevada, he will no longer be seen strolling the sidelines.

The Web site, nevprep.com, has reported that McLaughlin, who's been a part of the WHS volleyball program since 1995, announced his resignation at the team's end-of-the-year banquet last week.

McLaughlin, who coaches at Capital City Volleyball Club in Carson City, led the Warriors to their fifth consecutive 2-A state title in November. He said there wasn't any one reason but rather multiple reasons for stepping down.

"I just thought it was time," said McLaughlin, who won six 2-A state championships and seven league titles as varsity head coach from 1996-2007. "It's been a great ride, but it's very time consuming and I just felt like now was the time."

"It's hard to fathom what these kids have accomplished at such a small school," McLaughlin said. "To get invited to the Durango Tournament and beat a nationally-ranked team, that just doesn't happen with schools with 200 kids. It's just unheard of."

McLaughlin coached Whittell's junior varsity team in 1995 and took over the varsity program a year later. From 1996-2000, Whittell was a 3-A school and placed in the 3-A state tournament twice.

In the last five years alone -- all state championship seasons-- the Warriors went 64-0 in league matches and tied the Nevada state record for consecutive 2-A state titles. Now, however, the program will need to move in another direction.