Eastern Michigan University has found a new leader for its women's basketball team, signing Sahar Nusseibeh as head coach, EMU announced. The former Canisius College coach will be taking over the reins from Fred Castro, who was shown the door in December during his eighth season with the Eagles.
Nusseibeh, an Ohio native, hops over to the Mid-American Conference school after a three-year tenure with Canisius in Buffalo, New York. She steps into a program in need of a turnaround, as the Eagles have struggled to take flight with a lackluster 7-22 finish last season, according to CBS News Detroit. EMU has not had a winning season in six of the past seven years, a trend Nusseibeh will look to reverse.
Over at Canisius, Nusseibeh built a respectable record, guiding the Golden Griffins to a 17-14 season this year — their first winning season since 2008-09. "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as Eastern Michigan University's Head Women's Basketball Coach," Nusseibeh said in a statement obtained by CBS News Detroit. She laid out her vision for the program, emphasizing a foundation of "love, trust, and respect," with the intent to achieve success not only on the court but also in academic performance and community engagement.
Canisius is now left with vacancies for both their men's and women's basketball head coaching spots, following the departure of Nusseibeh and the non-renewal of men's coach Reggie Witherspoon's contract earlier this month. Canisius Athletic Director Bill Maher expressed his gratitude for Nusseibeh's contributions to the college, "Sahar was a tremendous mentor to the young women in our basketball program and she worked extremely hard to reconnect with our women's basketball alumnae," Maher said, according to a gogriffs.com news release. He remains optimistic about the future, stating, "I am confident that the next leader of our women's basketball program will help continue the upward trajectory of our women's basketball program, both on and off the court."
With Nusseibeh's track record of development and mentorship, EMU hopes she will be the catalyst for a new era — elevating their team to heights unseen in recent memory. Only time will tell if Nusseibeh's approach translates into the Mid-American Conference and whether the Eagles will finally get to soar under her leadership.
