Joel Sanchez

Sanchez enters his first season with the Express women's volleyball program, joining the Express from the Legacy Volleyball Club, where he has served as the President, Executive Director and Girls National Head Coach for the past eight years. With Legacy, Sanchez has assisted numerous student-athletes enroll at high-level NCAA and NAIA programs including Penn State, Ohio State, Iona and Concordia.
 
Sanchez has also spent the past eight years as the head girls' volleyball coach at Preston High School in the Bronx, coaching the Panthers to Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Championships in 2011, 2012 and 2016, as well as runner-up finishes in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
 
Previously, Sanchez spent one season as the head women's volleyball coach at Hostos Community College and four years as a volunteer assistant coach with the Monroe College Mustangs women's volleyball team in New Rochelle, N.Y.
 
In 2013, Sanchez spent one season as the men's volleyball head coach at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y., as the Gryphons finished the season as the Hudson Valley Men's Athletic Conference runner-up.
 
Prior to joining the Mustangs, Sanchez three seasons as the associate head coach for both the men's and women's volleyball programs at Lehman College, helping the Lighting to multiple CUNYAC Semifinals, while also serving as an assistant coach at both Walton High School and John F. Kennedy from 2008-2011.
 
Sanchez has also coached at numerous clubs and camps throughout the New York area, and has run his own volleyball camp, the Joel Sanchez Volleyball Camp, for the past 10 years.
 
Sanchez began his coaching career at Herbert H. Lehman High School, serving as an assistant coach for four years.
 
A graduate of Lehman High School, Sanchez helped the Lobos to a PSAL Championship in 2004 and a runner-up finish in 2003, before playing collegiately at Lehman College in the Bronx. With the Lightning, Sanchez earned numerous awards, including All-CUNY Honors, Most Improved, and Team MVP.
 
Following his collegiate career, Sanchez has played for a number of clubs, including the Moca Volleyball Club in the Bronx, helping them win gold medals at the 2009 and 2010 USA Volleyball Open Championships, as well as a silver medal-finish in 2008.
 
Sanchez earned his bachelor's degree in computer science and software engineering from the University of Phoenix in 2015 and is currently pursuing his master's degree and PhD in software engineering and artificial intelligence.