Photo: Miami University Athletics
By Aidan Joly, Editor-in-Chief
Canisius announced Friday that Miami (Ohio) assistant coach Sahar Nusseibeh has been named the head coach of the women’s basketball team. She will be the 10th head coach in program history.
A defensive guru, she comes to Canisius after spending the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator with the Redhawks.
Nusseibeh is familiar with the MAAC. Before her time in Ohio, she was the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Manhattan from 2016-2019. There, she recruited and coached five all-MAAC selections, including 2019 MAAC women’s defensive player of the year Courtney Warley. During the 2018-19 season, the Jaspers ranked 17th nationally in scoring defense and in the top 100 nationally in field goal percentage defense, steals per game, blocked shots per game and turnovers forced.
Before Manhattan, she was at the coaching staff at Bowling Green from 2013-2016, helping lead the Falcons to the MAC regular season title in her first season, going 30-5 and 17-1 in league play. In her time there, she recruited and coached five all-conference selections and an All-American. Before that, she was a graduate assistant at Cincinnati and was an assistant at Holy Cross. She also spent time with the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics and the u19 national team.
As a player, she spent four years at American University, playing in 116 games and helping them get to the WNIT twice in four years.
“Coach Nusseibeh is a respected recruiter and developer of talent who has experience both in our league and within our region. Her work helping rebuild the Manhattan program into a championship contender within our conference was something that impressed me,” athletic director Bill Maher said. “Sahar is someone who has shown the ability to build strong working relationships with student-athletes, athletic department staff members and across campus. I look forward to working with her to bring our program back to a championship level in the MAAC.”
“From the moment I walked into the Koessler Athletic Center and met with fellow head coaches, administrators and most importantly the student-athletes, I knew this was the perfect place to build something special,” Nusseibeh said. “I look forward to bringing my best to Buffalo and surrounding these young women with nothing but the best; from our staff to the environment we create and the experiences we provide.”
She added, “I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such high-quality people who possess a ‘find a way’ mindset.”
Nusseibeh replaces Scott Hemer, who stepped down in June due to health concerns. In 2020-21, the Griffs went 0-5 and ended their season early due to COVID-19 and injury concerns.