Head coach MJ Knighten announced the hiring of Nick Sanchez as the program's newest assistant coach ahead of the 2026 season.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Nick to our coaching staff," Knighten said. "He brings a program-first mentality and a wealth of experience from successful programs such as South Carolina and Arizona State. His background and knowledge will elevate what we do here every day. Nick will be working closely with our catchers, as well as assisting in recruiting and other key administrative areas. I'm excited for the impact he'll make on our student-athletes and the continued growth of our program."
Sanchez joins the Toreros following a successful stint working with UC Riverside as he helped lead the Highlanders to their best Big West start in program history. Serving as UCR's pitching coach during the 2025 campaign, Sanchez helped Highlander pitcher Maddie Heinlin post 115 strikeouts in 176.2 innings of work that earned her a spot on the All-Big West First Team.
"I'm incredibly honored and excited to join the University of San Diego softball program," Sanchez said. "USD offers an exceptional combination of academic achievement and athletic excellence, and I look forward to contributing to a culture of hard work, growth, and competitive success. I'm especially excited for the opportunity to learn under
MJ Knighten and her amazing coaching staff. I can't wait to get started with this talented group of student-athletes and help build on the program's proud tradition."
Before his time in Southern California, Sanchez spent time at Arizona State, South Carolin and Athletes Unlimited. He made his way to Columbia to serve as a graduate student and worked closely with the Gamecocks' pitching staff utilizing advanced technologies such as Yakkertech and Rapsodo to support student-athlete development.
Beginning his career in college softball, Sanchez spent four years in Tempe as a student manager for Arizona State. During his time with the Sun Devils, Sanchez was heavily involved in day-to-day operations, including aiding the pitching coach in developing scouting reports, using Synergy and Dartfish for player development, throwing batting practice and assisting with camps and clinics.
A native of San Dimas, California, Sanchez earned his bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State in 2024 and earned his Master's degree in athletic coaching at South Carolina.
