Waves welcome four new assistant coaches

By McKenzie Jackson · Sun Aug 16 2026

Pepperdine strengthens its baseball, women’s soccer, volleyball and golf programs with four new coaching additions ahead of the upcoming seasons

Four new assistant coaches have joined Pepperdine athletics ahead of the upcoming seasons. Maddi Desiano joined the Waves women’s soccer team’s coaching staff, while Kayla Benge is with the women’s golf team. Former Waves standout Isabel Zelaya is now with the women’s volleyball team’s staff, and Bryson LeBlanc is the newest member of the Waves baseball team’s staff. All four of the coaches joined Pepperdine last month.

Bryson LeBlanc joins Pepperdine baseball as head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, bringing nearly two decades of Division I coaching experience and a proven track record of developing MLB Draft talent. Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

LeBlanc, who spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Missouri, his alma mater, is now the Waves baseball team’s head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

Pepperdine head coach Tyler LaTorre called LeBlanc, who also had successful coaching stints at Oregon, UC San Diego, and UC Riverside, “one of the most well-respected recruiters and hitting coaches on the West Coast.”

“Bringing him back to California is great for our players and community,” LaTorre said. “He has a wealth of knowledge from his experience as a player and now as a coach of almost 20 years in Division I baseball. Bryson will make a huge impact on and off the field for Waves baseball by spearheading our recruiting efforts, leading our hitters offensively, and being an integral part of the day-to-day development of our entire program. We are incredibly lucky to have Bryson here in Malibu."

LeBlanc, who has mentored 22 players selected in the MLB Draft, thanked LaTorre and Pepperdine Athletics Director Tanner Gardner.

“The main goal is to help these young men develop on the field, in the classroom, and in our community,” he said. “Pepperdine baseball has a rich history, and I am thrilled to help continue building the amazing culture and bring WCC championships to Malibu.”

Before returning to the Waves, Zelaya, a four-year Pepperdine women’s volleyball team captain and four-time All-WCC First Team member from 2020 to 2023, was the club director at Pacific Coast Volleyball, which was founded by Pepperdine head coach Scott Wong.

Zelaya is grateful to be an assistant coach for Pepperdine and thanked Wong for the opportunity.

“Pepperdine has played such a meaningful role in my life and has shaped so much of who I am today,” she said. “I am honored to give back to this program and help continue building on the tradition and success of Pepperdine volleyball.”

Desiano played four seasons of college soccer at UCLA during which she won two PAC-12 championships and the 2022 NCAA title. She was drafted 48th in the 2023 NWSL Draft. She played for the Houston Dash, and then for Odense Boldclub in Denmark, before joining Spokane Zephyr FC in the USL Gainbridge Super League.

Waves head coach Tim Ward said in July that the team is excited to have Desiano, noting her experiences as a player.

"She's been to the mountaintop as a collegiate player but also had to journey through the valleys to get there,” he said. “Her recent time as a pro was also a really sweet and formative period for her and I truly believe that her lived experiences will serve our players incredibly well.”

Former UCLA national champion and professional soccer player Maddi Desiano joins the Waves women’s soccer coaching staff, bringing championship experience and valuable insight from both the collegiate and professional levels. Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

Desiano is excited to be a Waves coach.

“I am grateful for this opportunity and can't wait to get to work with this amazing team and staff,” she said.

Benge played college golf at UNC Asheville and Xavier and was named the Indiana Golf Player of the Year in 2024. She coached at her alma mater, Plainfield High School in Indiana, for three years and was an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s golf teams at DePauw in Indiana this past season before joining the Waves women’s golf team.

Benge realized Pepperdine and the women’s golf program were special the first time she talked to head coach Laurie Gibbs.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the Pepperdine women's golf program,” Benge stated. “I’m excited to learn, grow, and pour everything I have into helping our student-athletes succeed both on the golf course and in life.”