April Sanchez joined Jon Newman-Gonchar’s staff at UNM as an assistant coach in June 2019 and was promoted to associate head coach in March 2023.
“April has been a key contributor to the rise of Lobo Volleyball, and every piece of this program has been impacted positively by her incredible work ethic and insights,” commented Newman-Gonchar at the time of her promotion. “I am thrilled to be able to name her my associate head coach.”
“UNM Volleyball is the lucky recipient of yet another great coach and an even better person wanting to come help make us better,” said Newman-Gonchar. “We are incredibly grateful that April chose to come to UNM and thrilled for not only our student-athletes, but the broader Albuquerque community. Our region just gained another fantastic volleyball ambassador for our great sport in the community.”
With the Lobos, Sanchez serves as UNM’s defensive coordinator, overseeing defensive efforts, as well as working with liberos and defensive specialists. Off the court, she serves as a community coordinator, directing and coordinating UNM’s summer camps, and planning and organizing UNM’s volunteer work in the community.
Under Sanchez’ guidance, the Lobos have led the Mountain West in opponent hitting percentage in each of the last three seasons as they rolled to three straight MW Tournament appearances, pacing the league in total digs and digs per set in both 2022 and 2023 after ranking second in 2021. UNM’s 1,830 total digs in 2022 and 1,823 in 2023 were the fifth- and sixth-most in a single season in program history, and the Lobos have held opponents to an .180 hitting percentage combined across the last three seasons — no other Mountain West team has even held opponents below .190 in the same span.
In her first season as Associate Head Coach, the Lobos finished tied for fourth in the MW standings — their best finish since 2014 — and outlasted UNLV in five sets in the first round of the conference tournament for their first postseason win since 2006.
Sanchez came to UNM having spent the previous four seasons at Idaho State as an assistant coach. With the Bengals, Sanchez was responsible for scouting opponents, film and stat analysis, camp coordination and assisted in recruiting.
In February 2020, Sanchez served as a court assistant as well as a technical assistant at the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryout held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Most recently, Sanchez attended the NCAA Women Coaches Academy in 2018, which is designed for women coaches to increase their individual effectiveness by learning skills and strategies that directly impact personal and team success.
Prior to working at Idaho State, Sanchez served as the head volleyball coach at Colorado Northwestern Community College for two seasons and prior to that, was an assistant coach at CNCC for three years.
Sanchez graduated from Lamar Community College in December 2007, where she had a successful collegiate career in which she was named to the 2007 All-Region IX volleyball team and the 2007 South Region IX volleyball team. In addition, she earned the 2007-08 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award.
After graduating from LCC, Sanchez went on to attend Colorado Mesa University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in May 2011.