Original article (Nusseibeh Promoted to Associate Head Coach) on Manhattan College’s athletic website gojaspers.com.
Manhattan women’s basketball’s Sahar Nusseibeh has been promoted to the position of associate head coach for the Jaspers ahead of the 2018-19 season, according to an announcement made by Head Coach Heather Vulin on Thursday, September 13.
One of the top young coaches in the country, Nusseibeh recently completed her second season season as an assistant coach at Manhattan, while also doubling as the Jaspers’ recruiting coordinator, a position she will continue to hold.
“It is with great excitement that I promote Sahar Nusseibeh to associate head coach,” said Vulin, who is beginning her third season with the Jaspers. “Her commitment, professionalism, loyalty, talent and leadership are a huge asset to our program. She has been an invaluable part of everything we have accomplished so far at Manhattan, and will continue to add great value in her new role. She embodies our #playGREEN mentality and also has been a wonderful mentor to our team. I love working with Sahar and look forward to what the future holds for our program. I know she will continue to do an outstanding job.”
During her time with the Jaspers, Nusseibeh has worked closely with the team’s post players, including Kayla Grimme, who graduated from Manhattan as the program’s all-time leader in blocks, with 229 for her career, in addition to ranking third on the all-time rebounding list with 956, and sixth on the all-time scoring list with 1,408 points.
“I am extremely grateful and honored to be named associate head coach here at Manhattan,” said Nusseibeh. “From day one, Coach Vulin has made me feel like a valued member of her staff and program. She respects my thoughts and input, trusts my judgment and actions, and has supported both my professional and personal growth. I look forward to continuing to serve Coach Vulin and her program, and am committed to giving my best to our incredible student-athletes.”
In 2016, Nusseibeh was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s (WBCA) inaugural “Thirty Under 30” list, which recognizes the top 30 up-and-coming coaches 30-years old or younger at all levels of the game. A graduate of the NCAA’s Women Coaches Academy, she has also participated in the WBCA’s Center for Coaching Excellence.
Nusseibeh came to Riverdale after three seasons as an assistant coach at Bowling Green. During her first season with the Falcons in 2014-15, the team won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular season title and completed a 30-win season, the second-most in school and conference history, on the way to the quarterfinals of the WNIT.
Prior to her time at Bowling Green, Nusseibeh spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Holy Cross from 2011-13, serving as the Crusaders’ post coach and video coordinator. Holy Cross won 37 games over that period and made consecutive appearances in the Patriot League Championship Game. In 2011-12, the Crusaders went 19-15 and reached the quarterfinals of the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI). Nusseibeh began her collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Cincinnati, where she served as the video coordinator and academic liaison.
As a player, Nusseibeh was a four-year standout at American, earning a place on the Patriot League All-Rookie Team in 2005-06. She played in 116 games during her career as the Eagles won a pair of Patriot League regular season titles (2007 and 2008) and made the first two postseason berths in program history (WNIT, 2008 and 2009). Nusseibeh graduated cum laude from American with a degree in international relations/international business in 2009, and she earned a master’s degree in business administration from Cincinnati in 2011.
“I would like to thank Coach Vulin, Marianne Reilly, our athletic administration, as well as Dr. Satterlee and President O’Donnell for their gracious support,” she said. “I consider myself blessed to work for and represent Manhattan College.”