ACU track & field hires Steven Sanchez to coach throwers
8/14/2024 9:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
ABILENE - ACU's storied track and field program has added Steven Sanchez as an assistant coach specializing in throws.
Sanchez comes to Abilene from USC Upstate where he spent the past four years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
"It felt like a calling," said Sanchez about his decision to join Abilene Christian.
"Speaking with God, everything started pointing this way. I'm not going to deter from that plan. It just felt right."
Sanchez has coached two NCAA All-Americans, including high jumper Channing Ferguson from USC Upstate during the 2023 outdoor season.
Twelve USC Upstate school records were broken by athletes under Sanchez.
"Steven is a young, exciting, and up-and-coming throws coach," ACU head track and field coach Miles Smith said. "He's had a lot of early success. He's gone through the ranks from Division II to Division I so he's used to punching up. He's a hustler. I think he's going to be a huge help when it comes to recruiting."
Prior to his time at USC Upstate, Sanchez was an assistant at East Tennessee State from 2016-2020.
He was a part of teams that won conference championships in men's shot put, men's discus, men's hammer, men's weight throw, men's and women's javelin, and men's heptathlon.
Throwers under Sanchez's watch also broke ETSU school records in eight events.
As a coach, Sanchez says the most important thing is finding the best way to communicate with each athlete.
"You want to work with them, not against them," said Sanchez. "It's a very highly technical event group, so you've got to be able to communicate with your athletes very effectively to get to the right technique."
Sanchez has also coached at Division III Plattsburgh State (Plattsburgh, New York) and Division II King University (Bristol, Tennessee).
He competed for Limestone University (Gaffney, South Carolina) from 2012-2015, and for ASA College (Brooklyn, New York) from 2011-2012.
Sanchez was named all-conference three times in the shot put. As a senior, he won the Conference Carolinas Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the shot put, and was the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's track and field.
"Steven is full of energy. He wears a smile everywhere he goes," said Smith.
Sanchez comes to Abilene from USC Upstate where he spent the past four years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
"It felt like a calling," said Sanchez about his decision to join Abilene Christian.
"Speaking with God, everything started pointing this way. I'm not going to deter from that plan. It just felt right."
Sanchez has coached two NCAA All-Americans, including high jumper Channing Ferguson from USC Upstate during the 2023 outdoor season.
Twelve USC Upstate school records were broken by athletes under Sanchez.
"Steven is a young, exciting, and up-and-coming throws coach," ACU head track and field coach Miles Smith said. "He's had a lot of early success. He's gone through the ranks from Division II to Division I so he's used to punching up. He's a hustler. I think he's going to be a huge help when it comes to recruiting."
Prior to his time at USC Upstate, Sanchez was an assistant at East Tennessee State from 2016-2020.
He was a part of teams that won conference championships in men's shot put, men's discus, men's hammer, men's weight throw, men's and women's javelin, and men's heptathlon.
Throwers under Sanchez's watch also broke ETSU school records in eight events.
As a coach, Sanchez says the most important thing is finding the best way to communicate with each athlete.
"You want to work with them, not against them," said Sanchez. "It's a very highly technical event group, so you've got to be able to communicate with your athletes very effectively to get to the right technique."
Sanchez has also coached at Division III Plattsburgh State (Plattsburgh, New York) and Division II King University (Bristol, Tennessee).
He competed for Limestone University (Gaffney, South Carolina) from 2012-2015, and for ASA College (Brooklyn, New York) from 2011-2012.
Sanchez was named all-conference three times in the shot put. As a senior, he won the Conference Carolinas Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the shot put, and was the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's track and field.
"Steven is full of energy. He wears a smile everywhere he goes," said Smith.
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