Ben Loorz returning to UNLV swimming and diving program as head coach

Ben Loorz. (Aaron Mayes/Courtesy UNLV Photo Services)

Former UNLV swimming and diving assistant coach Ben Loorz will return to the school to become head coach of the teams, the school announced Wednesday.

Loorz replaces Bobby Folan, who served as interim coach the past year following the April 2015 retirement of Jim Reitz, who guided UNLV to 14 conference titles in 35 years at the helm of the program. Three of those championships came while Loorz was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under Reitz from 2007-10.

Loorz left Las Vegas after the 2009-10 season to become head coach at NCAA Division II Cal State East Bay, where he twice was named conference Coach of the Year and guided the Pioneers to three conference championship runner-up finishes the last six seasons.