Women’s basketball in New Mexico will have a different feel in 2016.
Less than 48 hours after UNM was bounced out of the first round in a 75-67 loss to Weber State in the Women’s Basketball Invitational, Vice President of Athletics Paul Krebs announced that Yvonne Sanchez has been relieved of her duties as head coach.
“I believe that five years is enough time for a head coach to really develop and produce a quality program,” Krebs said in Friday’s press conference. “I think the logical question is why extend coach Sanchez’s last year?”
In five years at the helm of the women’s basketball program, Sanchez put together a 77-81 overall record, and a 40-44 record in conference play.
Sanchez was Mountain West Coach of the Year in the 2014-2015 season, a feat that Krebs said awarded her with an extension through the 2019 season, allowing her to make $266,640 with another $36,000 in incentives.
“We have very high expectations for our women’s basketball program,” Krebs said. “I think in large part, those expectations are due to past success, to our investment in the program, to great tradition and probably as significant as any – the best women’s basketball fans in the country.”
Krebs said the inconsistent play from the program is what forced the decision to relieve Sanchez of her duties. She will be bought out for $150,000, according to her contract.
“She is a quality individual. This is a tough, painful, uncomfortable decision. But the business side to what we do, after five years, we need to win games,” Krebs said. “This is really what it comes down to.”
Sanchez addressed her termination Friday afternoon in a private press conference at Screen Images.
“It’s on odd business. It’s been a difficult morning,” Sanchez said. “I can’t really describe it. I’ve been completely blindsided. Not sure what happened. Not sure what I did, or maybe what I didn’t do.”
Sanchez said she wasn’t thrilled with how the University handled the entire process. She said that she received a call on Wednesday from Krebs’ secretary, stating that UNM wanted to talk to her about a performance review on Thursday morning.
Sanchez said that she tried to dig a little more into what that entailed in the phone interview because she “didn’t have a good feeling” about what the meeting was going to involve.
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At 9 a.m., Krebs told Sanchez that UNM would be moving in another direction, without providing her with much explanation or the opportunity to negotiate, Sanchez said. She said that she was handed an envelope with a check and Krebs said that the program should be better after five years.
Each of her players received a text message regarding Sanchez’s departure from the program, something Sanchez said she was not pleased with, as she wanted to be the one to tell her former team.
“The timing is odd with me and my contract and, you know, with what I’ve done,” Sanchez said. “I truly believe that I’ve done enough, but obviously it wasn’t good enough for Paul.”
Sanchez said in addition to talking with her staff and her former team, she also spoke with the recruits coming in for the 2016-2017 season. She said that the UNM women’s basketball program is a good one and that she hopes the recruits and players choose to stay at New Mexico.
Sanchez, a New Mexico native, said that she has been treated well by the fan base in Albuquerque.
She said that she has had a lot of support from UNM fans, but has also had to deal with some of the criticism that comes with taking a job at a Division I basketball school.
While Sanchez said that she is sure some fans are pleased with her departure, she added that she has received hundreds of texts and phone calls wishing her well and offering her support.
“I can accept being fired,” Sanchez said. “The way it was handled is just mindboggling.”
Ralph Arellanes, chair of the Hispano Round Table, a civil rights group, suggested in a statement he released on Friday that race may have been a factor .
“Coach Sanchez is a class act,” Arellanes said. “The long tradition of UNM removing high performing and highly recognized Hispanos in all areas must stop or be prepared for strong consequences.”
Sanchez said that she will address this topic after she sorts through her current emotions and shock. She did say that she felt she didn’t receive the same opportunities or confidence that other coaches at the University receive.
As for Krebs’ reasoning behind the decision, the rollercoaster that was the 2015-2016 season strayed away from where the Lobos would like to be, he said. He said that UNM is expected to be a leader in the Mountain West, and that it should be a contender for the NCAAs each year as well.
“These high expectations are not being met. I think we’ve fallen into mediocrity and that’s simply not acceptable,” he said.
Sanchez said that she is not sure if she would like to return to coaching or if she would rather move past leading a women’s basketball program. She said that she is grateful and thankful to those who have helped her in her 16-year career at UNM.
“It’s been a fun opportunity, a fun ride, and we’ll see what happens next,” Sanchez said.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
