Troy Canaba (CAN-a-ba) took over as head coach of the Sul Ross State softball team on June 1, 2015. He also served as the volleyball coach for the Lobos (2017-23).
A native of Sierra Blanca, Texas, Canaba played football and basketball and participated in track and field and golf at Sierra Blanca High School, earning All-State honors as a quarterback for the football team and participating in a postseason all-star game.
Moving on to SRSU, Canaba played basketball for the Lobos for two years and graduated. He then remained on staff as a graduate assistant for the basketball team under Dr. Roger Grant while assisting with the volleyball and softball teams coached by Rick Garcia.
After graduation, Canaba spent two years as the Director of Athletics at Marathon High School in Marathon, Texas, coaching volleyball, girls’ basketball and track and field.
Hired at Alpine High School in Alpine, Texas in 2004, Canaba coached volleyball and softball during his tenure with the Bucks.
His teams were very successful, advancing at least as far as the state regional quarterfinals in each of the last seven years, and going all the way to the state championship game in 2012, where they lost to Crawford.
In 12 seasons at AHS, Canaba’s softball teams went 201-42 while the volleyball teams enjoyed a 178-67 record.
The year 2019 saw new marks in each sport for Canaba. Volleyball finished with their best record since 2009. In softball, they had their best start (13-5) in program history.
His softball program has reached the conference tournament in three-straight seasons.
As of mid-March 2025, Canaba sports 621 career wins between high school and college.
Canaba’s wife, Gloria, teaches third grade at Alpine Elementary School. Their daughter, Annika, was a standout player in softball and volleyball at Sul Ross State. She is currently the volleyball head coach for the Lobos. The Canaba's have two sons, Jayden and Jace.
