UC Riverside

Nick Sanchez enters his second season on staff with UC Riverside softball in 2025-26, serving as the pitching coach and the program’s recruiting coordinator.

In his first season with UCR, the Highlanders UC Riverside had its best six-game Big West start in program history at 5-1. Under his direction as pitching coach, Maddie Heinlin had a resurgence and closed the season with 115 strikeouts over 176.2 innings pitched. Heinlin also received Big West Pitcher of the Week as well as being selected to the All-Big West First Team. 

Sanchez came to UCR after gaining experience across multiple levels of softball, including stops at Arizona State, South Carolina, and Athletes Unlimited. Most recently, he served as a graduate assistant at South Carolina while pursuing his master’s degree in Athletic Coaching. There, he worked closely with the pitching staff, utilizing advanced technologies such as Yakkertech and Rapsodo to support pitcher development. He also provided pitching instruction at South Carolina camps and clinics during his tenure. 

Prior to his time in the SEC, Sanchez spent four years in the PAC 12 at Arizona State University as a student manager with the Sun Devil softball program. He 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. 

In 2024, Sanchez joined Athletes Unlimited as a professional softball assistant facilitator. The inaugural AUX season was held in Wichita, Kansas. Sanchez assisted the team’s facilitator’s with running practices and throwing batting practice. 

A native of San Dimas, California, Sanchez earned his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State in 2024 and is completing his master’s degree in Athletic Coaching at the University of South Carolina.