This is the eighth of 12 articles highlighting the CSU Pueblo Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Inductees and today's eighth article features former Pack baseball coach Stan Sanchez (1993-20)

When reviewing Stan Sanchez's coaching career at Colorado State University Pueblo, you learn immediately that he checked all boxes in evaluating a successful career as the leader of the Pack baseball program.

Named the head coach on January 22, 1993, Sanchez's coaching resume at CSU Pueblo is highlighted by the following:

• Championships – 11 conference and regional titles.  The Pack won the 1994 and 1996 Mile High Intercollegiate Baseball Conference, the 2001, 2002, and 2004 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the 1994 and 196 MHIBC post-season, the 2004, 2009, and 2013 RMAC post-season titles, and the 1996 NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament crown.
• Victories – 871 wins (1,453 games) for a 60.0 winning percentage in 27 seasons.  In RMAC play, he had a 503-301 record (62.6%).
• Post-season – 9 NCAA Division II appearances in 1994, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2015, highlighted by a D2 World Series appearance in 1996.
• Rankings – 60 NCAA Division II's Top 30 poll appearances, with the highest ranking in 2004 when the Pack held down the No. 2 spot for two weeks. In fact, for all but two weeks in 2004, the ThunderWolves had bettered their previous best in the polls, which had been #8 in 1996.
• Awards – Four coach of the year honors – MHIBL (1994), RMAC (1996 and 2001), and NCAA Division II West Region  (1996).

When Sanchez was hired, he was in charge of rebooting the program that had been dormant for eight seasons, with the last competition for the school being during the 1984-1985 season when John Barnes was the coach, and the then-Indians posted a 25-18 record.

"As we sought a baseball coach for our startup program, we understood that we needed a great strategist and teacher but also someone with the tenacity to start from scratch," said Dan DeRose, the Pack's Athletic Director in 1993.  "Stan fit our needs perfectly and proved as much in a short amount of time with a trip to the D2 Championship playoffs."

Following 38 and 33 victory totals in his first two seasons at the then-University of Southern Colorado, Sanchez's 1995-1996 squad posted a then-school record 44 games. It reached the "Elite Eight" in the NCAA Division II playoffs by winning four straight West Regional games against three California schools in Riverside, Calif.

"There was a backstop and a sandlot field," Sanchez said in interviews when he retired.  "They played soccer in the outfield. There was no fence. Two years later, we're in the World Series. It brings a tear to my eye to think about all the hard work."

Current CSU Pueblo baseball coach Bobby Applegate, one of Sanchez's first recruits and later coached with him, said there were "a ton of memories during the first years of the rebooted program.  We are hosting the regionals as a first-year program. A program win versus Wichita State in 1994 was memorable as a player. As a coach, I had the opportunity to win the West regional championship versus UC Riverside and Chico State to advance to the D2 World Series in 1996."

During Sanchez's 27 seasons with the Pack, his teams won 40 or more games in seven campaigns and only had five losing years.  During a four-season stretch from 2001-2004, Sanchez's crew won 174 of 231 games (75.2 percent).  He was the first RMAC coach to have 700 and 800 career wins, marks he reached in 2014 and 2017, respectively.

"I was fortunate enough to be one of Stans's first recruits," said Applegate.  "I didn't know much about the program's reboot but was excited to jump on the ground floor. USC was my most significant scholarship offer at the time. It was the best financial fit for me and my family."

Applegate said Sanchez's "sayings stuck with me. Pay attention to detail! Play Harder Longer. Stan was and is very passionate about the game of baseball. He had a knack for getting the best out of all his players. He found roles for each player and made each one feel as important as the next."

After Applegate's Pack career, where he won 17 games during the first two reboot seasons, he remained in Pueblo and played with the Pueblo Big Horns.  "I had gone through ACL reconstruction on my left knee. I had a few classes to finish up in 1996 to receive my degree in Kinesiology and Stan allowed me to start coaching."

Starting his third season with the Pack this spring, Applegate said he "was fortunate to come back as a coach and assist with the pitching duties. Coach was detailed in his practice plans, he had a great way of breaking down the game that help us better understand the game within the game. I feel that attention to detail has helped me in my coaching career."

At the start of his baseball coaching career, Sanchez led the programs at San Bernardino High (1973-1976), Aquinas High (1977-1982), and San Bernardino Valley College (1983-1991).  Before leading the Pack, Sanchez was an assistant at Cal State Northridge.  He also coached for the San Bernardino Spirit in 1987 and 1989 and was the team's Director of Community Relations and the radio announcer in 1988.

When he retired in May 2020, Sanchez said he was "one of the most fortunate people to be in the game, coming from a meager income, you know, scenario. I climbed the ladder, I was a high school coach, head coach, junior college head coach. I paid my dues, and I am proud of that."

Sanchez shared with others that "baseball teaches you incredible work ethic.  It takes a lot of energy when you play. You need to be a hard worker to improve in baseball. It teaches you lifelong lessons."