John Sanchez joined the Hamilton College women's basketball coaching staff as an assistant in October 2021. He helps head coach Mahogany Green with all aspects of the Hamilton women’s basketball team. In 2022-23 he coached the NESCAC and D3hoops.com Region 1 Rookie of the Year, and helped guide the Continentals to a 12-11 overall record and the conference championship quarterfinals.
Sanchez had previously been an assistant women’s basketball coach at Western New Mexico University since 2019. He helped with recruitment, player development, game preparation, video scouting, budget reports and travel for two seasons at Western New Mexico. He also provided leadership and supervision relevant to academic progress and personal development at the NCAA Division II school.
Sanchez was an assistant men’s basketball coach and director of operations at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2017 to 2019. In 2017-18 the Engineers finished 25-6, won three games in the NCAA championship and advanced to the quarterfinals. MIT won the 2018 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship title and ended the season ranked ninth in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. The 2018-19 team posted a 23-5 record, captured the NEWMAC regular season crown at 12-2, advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament and were No. 19 in the final poll.
Sanchez played five seasons of professional basketball in two Mexican leagues, including the country’s top pro league, after he graduated from Lesley College in 2012. The point guard was chosen to play in four all-star games.
Sanchez had a memorable career at Lesley from 2009 to 2012. He was named to the all-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) team three times, including the first team as a junior and senior. The two-time team most valuable player finished the 2011-12 season ranked second in the conference in scoring with 18.2 points per game and first in assists with 5.0 per contest. He was a preseason all-American pick and the preseason NECC player of the year choice by D-III News. Sanchez graduated with several team records including most assists and free throws made in a game, season and career, and most steals in a career. He played his first season at NAIA Mayville State University and averaged 4.0 assists per game in 2008-09. He finished his college career with more than 1,200 points.
Sanchez, who is from Carson, Calif., was all-Trinity League honorable mention in high school in 2007. His team competed against future NBA players James Harden, DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday.
