Adam Sanchez Announces Resignation
Council Bluffs, Iowa – Iowa Western Head Women's Soccer Coach Adam Sanchez has announced his resignation after 10 seasons at the program's helm to explore other opportunities.
"Iowa Western has been an extremely special place to me and my family," said Sanchez. "Though we are excited about this next chapter in our life, we are overwhelmed with feelings of immense gratitude to have worked in the best athletic department in the country with amazing people. It's a special place because it's filled with individuals who put the students first and it has been an absolute pleasure to be associated with and represent Iowa Western and Council Bluffs."
The winningest coach in Iowa Western Women's Soccer history, Coach Sanchez led the program to a pair of NJCAA D1 National Championships in 2022 and 2023, claiming nine ICCAC Region 11 titles and eight District championships along the way.
"I am forever grateful to the administration, the IWCC Board of Directors, Dr. Kinney Sr. and current President Dr. Kinney, Brenda Hampton (who took a massive chance on me), and Shane Larson for allowing me to coach and be uniquely me, which, in college sports, is a rare occurrence," added Sanchez. "If I was successful in any measure, it is due to the support and confidence they placed in me to care for the program and our student-athletes. I am grateful to my assistant coaches and athletic directors for hiding my flaws, fostering a healthy environment, and caring for our athletes in ways I could not."
"I would like to thank Coach Sanchez for his time at Iowa Western," said Iowa Western President Dr. Dan Kinney. "He has been able to put the Reiver Women's Soccer Team on the map and we are grateful for him and wish him success in his future endeavors."
Sanchez leaves Council Bluffs with an overall record of 154-26-11 going 67-3-0 in conference play; his 211-63-17 career coaching record ranks him 11th among active coaches across all NJCAA divisions. Under Coach Sanchez, Iowa Western finished in the NJCAA top-10 every year, including a top-5 finish in nine seasons, and his teams were top-3 in six of his ten years in Council Bluffs. Coach Sanchez has not lost a game since August 27, 2022, and the program's current 56-game unbeaten streak is the longest undefeated streak since Tyler JC went on a 52-game winning streak from 2019-21.
"I want to thank Coach Sanchez for everything he has done for Reiver Women's Soccer," said Iowa Western Athletic Director Shane Larson. "He has returned the program to national prominence during his time here. Not only was he extremely successful, he also created an amazing culture within the team. We will miss him as a coach but even more so for his character and leadership within the athletic department."
Under Coach Sanchez, 19 players earned NJCAA All-American status, with two players being recognized as the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Year; Marta Llopis in 2022 and Oruha Hayashi in 2023 & 2024. More impressively, 66 athletes achieved NJCAA All-Academic honors and all of his teams have been named as one of the academic teams of the year.
"I am forever indebted to our student-athletes who allowed me to coach and lead them," expressed Sanchez. "I am grateful that they accepted me into their family and shared, in small part, their journey into adulthood. Their relentless pursuit of a standard set before I arrived and the daily effort to maintain Reiver Soccer as the premier junior college program in the country is evidenced by, not only the many trophies won, but also in the enduring relationships that transcend their time at IW. Most importantly, I'm nothing without the love and support of my wife and children. It is their sacrifices that allowed me to dedicate my time and talents to our student-athletes pursuit of their dreams. Reiver Soccer remains poised to win many more championships in the coming years and I am excited to watch what the future holds!"
A national search for his replacement will begin immediately.