Booker in charge at CdM

For the second time in the last three years, someone with ties to rival Newport Harbor High will guide the Corona del Mar girls' volleyball program.

Marissa Booker accepted the Sea Kings' job offer on Friday.

She said she was unsure on Thursday if she would accept the position to become the Sea Kings' walk-on coach because she wanted a teaching position, but Vanguard University announced that Booker stepped down as its women's volleyball coach to take over at CdM.

Booker replaces Darryl Gan, who like Booker is a Newport Harbor graduate. Just like when CdM hired Gan in 2008, this will be Booker's first varsity head coaching job.

"It is an exciting and new territory for me," Booker said in a statement released by Vanguard, her alma mater.

Gan enjoyed a lot of success in his first stint in charge of a varsity program.

In three seasons under Gan, CdM posted a 73-23 overall record, claimed three Pacific Coast League titles and appeared in two CIF Southern Section Division II-AA title matches. He resigned in January because he and his wife expected their first child in April and because he lived in Redondo Beach.

Gan said he is now an assistant with the Redondo Union girls' volleyball program.

Booker spent the past three seasons in charge of the Lions. Vanguard went 49-42 during the stretch and reached the NAIA national tournament for the first time in the program's history.

This past season, Vanguard finished 14-15, 6-14 in the Golden State Athletic Conference, marking the first time the Lions finished below .500 since 2007.

In the past, Booker also served as assistant coach at Newport Harbor under boys' and girls' coach Dan Glenn.