Sophie Sabbah Takes Reins of Canyons Swim & Dive Program

Promotional graphic announcing Sophie Sabbah as the new swim and dive head coach at College of the Canyons. The image features a smiling headshot of Sabbah on a blue and gold background with the College of the Canyons Swimming & Diving logo and a quote about the opportunity to build meaningful relationships while coaching student-athletes.
July 20, 2026

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

College of the Canyons has announced the hiring of Sophie Sabbah as head coach of the Cougars' swim & dive program, bringing more than 30 years of aquatics coaching experience and athletic leadership to the helm. Sabbah begins her new role effective immediately.

"It's an honor to join College of the Canyons in this role," said Sabbah. "This opportunity brings together everything I love — teaching, coaching, mentoring and building meaningful relationships with student-athletes."

Sabbah moves into the head coach role at Canyons following the departure of former head coach Erik Matheson who led the program for one season during the 2025-26 academic year. She will also serve as an adjunct professor in the college's kinesiology & physical education department.

Sabbah's past experience includes 20 years at Venice High School and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), where she served as a physical education and health teacher, department chair, activities director, and head coach for the swim, dive, and water polo programs. 

Her coaching career has been defined by developing both successful teams and exceptional young people. She was named the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coach of the Year – West Section in 2009 in recognition of her leadership, commitment to student-athletes, and contributions to high school athletics. 

Sabbah has coached numerous league, city, CIF, and state qualifiers, including swimmer Andrea "Andi" Murez, who went on to compete for Team Israel in three Olympic Games (2016, 2020, 2024) after training under Sabbah's guidance at Venice High School.

"My vision is always to create a culture where student-athletes feel challenged, supported, and inspired to become the very best version of themselves," said Sabbah. "Success isn't measured only by podium finishes, but by the leaders we develop and the impact we have on one another."

Most recently, Sabbah served as head coach of the swim & dive program at Canyon High School. She is also the head dive coach for the William S. Hart Union High School District, where she has built a culture centered on accountability, resilience, and personal growth while guiding student-athletes to CIF and state-level competition.

Known for her transformational coaching philosophy, Sabbah believes a coach's greatest responsibility is not simply developing faster swimmers, but developing confident, resilient, and compassionate leaders.

"Coach Sabbah brings an outstanding combination of energy, experience, leadership and a student-centered approach to our swim & dive program," said Matt Crater, Director of Athletics, Student Engagement & Student Support at College of the Canyons. 

"Her commitment to developing student-athletes both in and out of the pool aligns with the values of our athletic department," Crater added. "We are excited to welcome her to the Cougar family and look forward to the positive impact she will have on our program as we prepare for the upcoming season."

College of the Canyons swim & dive competed at nine meets during the 2026 season including the Western State Conference (WSC) Championships and the WSC/3C2A SoCal Regional Dive Championships.

At season's end, the Cougars saw diver Nicole Lerma and men's team sprinter Ian Rho advance to the 3C2A State Championship meet. Lerma went on to place 13th in the women's 1M dive event while becoming the first diver to compete at the state championship in more than a decade.

The 2027 swim & dive season begins in February.

"I'm excited to begin building something special with our student-athletes, alumni, and the entire Cougar community," said Sabbah. "I can't wait to get started."

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department at www.COCathletics.com and on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.