Yvonne Sanchez Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 8th year Graduated: U.S. International '89

Check out Coach Sanchez's FaceBook page.

Yvonne Sanchez begins her ninth season as an assistant coach for the Lobos. Her duties include recruiting coordinator, working with Lobo guards during practice, film breakdown and scouting of opponents.

An Albuquerque native, Sanchez is familiar with Lobo head coach Don Flanagan. She was a three-year letterwinner for Flanagan at Eldorado High School from 1982-85, during which time the Eagles won a state-record 74 consecutive games and two AAAA state titles. She was twice named to the all-state team and was also tabbed as the state 4A Player of the Year by the Albuquerque Journal.

"It has been a lot of fun working with Coach Flanagan on a professional level," said Sanchez. "He is a respected coach throughout the country and it has been a different aspect for me, no longer as a player, but as a coach."

Sanchez spent the 1999-00 campaign as an assistant at San Diego State for former head coach Barb Smith. While with the Aztecs, she was responsible for recruiting and compliance in addition to coaching post players.

Prior to her stint with the Aztecs, Sanchez spent six years (1993-99) in Las Cruces, N.M., as an assistant for the New Mexico State Roadrunners. At NMSU, she recruited throughout the nation, developed scouting reports and coached post players and perimeter players. Sanchez got her coaching start in 1989 at Academy of Our Lady of Peace, a high school in San Diego. She led the squad to CIF championships in 1990 and 1992, and was named the 1990 San Diego prep coach of the year, despite not having an indoor facility. During her tenure at OLP, the Pilots compiled a 76-39 (.661) record.

While in San Diego, Sanchez worked as a child care worker at a detention facility for boys and girls who had been placed in protective custody. Her responsibilities included the supervision of residents until suitable placements could be found. She later became the Program Director for a 26 to 28-bed facility. Sanchez'sresponsibilities included the hiring and supervision of staff, resident intakes and all other decisions within the facility. She also worked directly with court officials, law enforcement officers, social workers and county mental health officials.

The 39-year old Sanchez is a 1989 graduate of U.S. International University in San Diego, where she was a four-year letterwinner. She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from USIU.