Ron Sanchez, a men’s basketball assistant at Virginia for the duration of head coach Tony Bennett’s nine-year tenure, has accepted a position as the head coach at UNC Charlotte.
“I have waited a long time for the right fit and I truly believe in the leadership of this department,” said Sanchez, who also worked under Bennett at Washington State. “I would not be here without the help of both Dick and Tony Bennett.”
Sanchez will replace Houston Fancher, named interim coach in December following the firing of Mark Price.
UNCC was 6-23 this past season, losing 15 games in a row before defeating Conference USA foe Florida Atlantic in the final regular-season game.
The announcement of the Sanchez hiring came three days after the Cavaliers’ season ended in Charlotte.
“For the last 15 years of my coaching career, Ron Sanchez has been by my side,” said UVa head coach Tony Bennett in a UNCC press release. “He has been a huge part of all the successes on and off the court that he experienced and he is like a brother to me.
“The ultimate compliment that I can pay Ron is to say that he is the kind of coach that I want my son to play for. His mind for the game and his recruiting prowess speaks for itself. What a great day to be a 49er!”
Recently named UNCC athletic director Mike Hill said, “Ron Sanchez embodies everything we could possibly want in a basketball coach. His reputation is impeccable as a teacher, leader, assessor and developer of talent, and recruiter.”
Sanchez played at the State University of New York at Oneonta and coached at the Division III level. He also was a volunteer assistant at Indiana before joining the Bennetts and also served as an assistant with the Dominican Republic national team.
