After 26 seasons at the helm, CSU-Pueblo baseball coach Stan Sanchez is calling it a career.
"I think it was the right decision, I'm hoping that the culture we built there continues and I'm here to support it," Sanchez said.
The face of the Thunderwolves program on the diamond, Sanchez won a school record 868 games, and is second all-time in RMAC history with 503 victories.
"The body of work, the passion, the commitment, the community support from Pueblo," Sanchez said. "It has been a program that has been very competitive, I'm so blessed to be able to have that history."
Relaunching the program in 1993, Sanchez had 21 winning seasons, taking CSUP to nine NCAA regionals and the Division II College World Series in 1996.
After more than two decades of success, Sanchez is ready to take a step back and enjoy the other aspects of his life.
"It's a feel good that I had something good to do with their lives," Sanchez said. "It is overwhelming, pretty lucky to have that connection with my players."
A tough decision made easier when you think about how much better the program is now than in the early 90's.
"It's almost like a dream, to start from scratch, and develop the program to where it went to and still competing at a high level, just want to thank everyone," Sanchez said.
The school will conduct a national head coaching search and hopes to have a replacement sometime in June.
