Ottawa University Arizona is pleased to announce that Edward A. Cruz Jr. has joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach for the wrestling team. Coach Cruz has been involved in wrestling for nearly fifty years and brings a wealth of experience to the team.
Coach Cruz grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately following graduation from high school. In high school, he trained under legendary coach Bob Dieli. Coach Cruz continued wrestling while in the Marine Corps and was a two-time freestyle All-American.
Coach Cruz is a veteran of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and retired from the Marine Corps in 1993 as a chief warrant officer (W4). Upon his retirement, he started his career as a teacher and wrestling coach. He has coached at Havelock Middle School and Havelock High School in North Carolina, Bexley High School in Ohio, and Shadow Ridge High School in Arizona. He was also the head coach for the Havelock Wrestling Club in North Carolina and was an assistant coach and head coach for Team North Carolina at the USA Wrestling National Championship in Fargo, ND.
Coach Cruz’s teams and individual wrestlers have been very successful on the mat. Below are some of the highlights of his career.
· career dual meet record of 295-43
· 4 team high school state championships
· 9 team high school regional championships
· 16 team high school conference championships
· 11 NCUSA club freestyle state championships
· 9 NCUSA club Greco-Roman state championships
· numerous individual state champions, state placers, FILA cadet & junior All-Americans, and US senior All-Americans.
Coach Cruz and his wife, Gail, have been married for 43 years. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren.
Coach Cruz grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately following graduation from high school. In high school, he trained under legendary coach Bob Dieli. Coach Cruz continued wrestling while in the Marine Corps and was a two-time freestyle All-American.
Coach Cruz is a veteran of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and retired from the Marine Corps in 1993 as a chief warrant officer (W4). Upon his retirement, he started his career as a teacher and wrestling coach. He has coached at Havelock Middle School and Havelock High School in North Carolina, Bexley High School in Ohio, and Shadow Ridge High School in Arizona. He was also the head coach for the Havelock Wrestling Club in North Carolina and was an assistant coach and head coach for Team North Carolina at the USA Wrestling National Championship in Fargo, ND.
Coach Cruz’s teams and individual wrestlers have been very successful on the mat. Below are some of the highlights of his career.
· career dual meet record of 295-43
· 4 team high school state championships
· 9 team high school regional championships
· 16 team high school conference championships
· 11 NCUSA club freestyle state championships
· 9 NCUSA club Greco-Roman state championships
· numerous individual state champions, state placers, FILA cadet & junior All-Americans, and US senior All-Americans.
Coach Cruz and his wife, Gail, have been married for 43 years. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren.
