When Jim McLaughlin joined the Huskies in 2001, the team was at a low point in its 27-year history.

They finished off 2000 with their worst-ever conference record (2-16), tying for last place and winning only eight matches the entire season — another UW all-time low.

Within two years of McLaughlin’s arrival, the Huskies were not only moving up the rankings in the Pac-10, but had earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament — the seventh in the team’s history and the first in five years.

The team has made the tournament each year since then, reaching the national semifinal in 2004 and 2006, and winning the fourth national championship in UW history in 2005.

The Huskies are well on their way to building on recent years’s success, with a 17-1 record (6-1 Pac-10) so far this season.

The numbers for the Dawgs under McLaughlin speak for themselves.

2001

11-16 (4-14 Pac-10)

Final ranking: Not ranked

Pac-10 finish: 8th

Kills per game: 15.45

Hitting percentage: .232

Assists per game: 13.94

Digs per game: 14.29

2002

20-11 (9-9 Pac-10)

NCAA Tournament

Final ranking: Not ranked

Pac-10 finish: 5th (tied)

Kills per game: 16.04

Hitting percentage: .287

Assists per game: 14.45

Digs per game: 15.08

2003

23-9 (10-8 Pac-10)

Regional final

Final ranking: 9th

Pac-10 finish:5th (tied)

Kills per game: 16.96

Hitting percentage: .306

Assists per game: 15.71

Digs per game: 15.88

2004

28-3 (16-2 Pac-10)

National semifinal

Final ranking: 3rd

Pac-10 finish: 1st

Kills per game: 17.21

Hitting percentage: .283

Assists per game:15.99*

Digs per game:18.62*

2005

2-1 (17-1 Pac-10)

National champion5

Final ranking: 1st

Pac-10 finish: 1st

Kills per game: 17.52

Hitting percentage: .338

Assists per game: 15.99*

Digs per game: 16.19

2006

29-5 (15-3 Pac-10)

National semifinal

Final ranking: 4th

Pac-10 finish: 2nd (tied)

Kills per game: 16.92

Hitting percentage: .281

Assists per game: 15.93

Digs per game: 16.96

2007

17-1 (6-1 Pac-10)

Current ranking: 5th

Pac-10 ranking: 1st

Kills per game: 16.3

Hitting percentage: .314

Assists per game: 15.0

Digs per game: 15.2