Donan Cruz is an American men's college volleyball coach, who currently serves as the head coach of the Ball State Cardinals men's volleyball team.[7][8][9] He previously held the same position at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa.[10]

Donan Cruz
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamBall State
ConferenceMidwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
Record59–20 (.747)
Playing career
2004-2006Graceland University (Volleyball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2012-2022Grand View[1]
2022–presentBall State
Head coaching record
Overall274–79 (.776)
Tournaments0-1 (NCAA)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Tournament (2022) [2]
1× NAIA National Invitational Championship (2018)[3]
1× NAIA National Championship (2021) [4]
Awards
AVCA National Coach of the Year (NCAA Div. I-II 2022)[5][6]
2× AVCA National Coach of the Year (NAIA 2017, 2021)
MIVA Coach of the Year (NCAA Div. I-II 2022, 2024)

Coaching career

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In his first year as head coach at Ball State, the Cardinals compiled a 23-4 record and were the second seed at the 2022 NCAA Men's National Collegiate Volleyball Tournament.[11] To conclude the 2022 season, the Cardinals fell in five sets in the semi-finals of the 2022 NCAA Men's National Collegiate Volleyball Tournament to the eventual national champions, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. [12][13]

Year by Year Record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Grand View (Heart of America Athletic Conference) (2012–2021)
2012 Grand View 13-13 3-7
2013 Grand View 15-10 5-5
2014 Grand View 28-3 8-0 NAIA National Invitational Semi-Finals
2015 Grand View 20-9 8-2 NAIA National Invitational Semi-Finals
2016 Grand View 20-8 7-1 NAIA National Invitational Semi-Finals
2017 Grand View 25-4 10-0 NAIA National Invitational Finals (L)
2018 Grand View 23-5 10-0 NAIA National Invitational Finals (W)
2019 Grand View 20-2 9-1 NAIA National Championship Semi-Finals
2020 Grand View 22-1 10-0 Postseason Cancelled due to Covid-19
2021 Grand View 26-0 19-0 NAIA National Championship Finals (W)
Grand View: 211–55 (.793) 89–16 (.848)
Ball State (Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) (2022–present)
2022 Ball State 23-4 12-2 1st NCAA Semi-Finals
2023 Ball State 20-9 11-3 T-1st
2024 Ball State 21-10 11-3 1st
Ball State: 64–23 (.736) 36–8 (.818)
Total: 274–79 (.776)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ https://www.gvvikings.com/roster/19/36/15242
  2. ^ https://mivavolleyball.com/sports/2020/12/28/MVB_1228205849.aspx
  3. ^ https://www.naia.org/sports/mvball/2017-18/Files/2018_MVB_Bracket.pdf
  4. ^ https://www.naia.org/sports/mvball/2020-21/releases/Champ_Recap
  5. ^ https://mivavolleyball.com/news/2022/5/3/mens-volleyball-donan-cruz-selected-as-the-2022-avca-national-coach-of-the-year.aspx
  6. ^ https://www.guampdn.com/sports/donan-cruz-named-national-coach-of-the-year/article_92308a72-c9e2-11ec-a606-7ba10cb89a57.html
  7. ^ "Donan Cruz - Head Coach - Staff Directory". Ball State University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  8. ^ https://www.mauinews.com/sports/local-sports/2021/06/cruz-named-new-head-coach-at-ball-state/
  9. ^ https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/05/05/sports/ball-state-mens-volleyball-coach-donan-cruz-raised-on-maui/
  10. ^ https://www.postguam.com/sports/local/cruz-leads-vikings-to-naia-national-title/article_0ebf82d0-46d1-11e8-9b5e-cb86daabb135.html
  11. ^ https://ballstatesports.com/sports/mens-volleyball/schedule/2022
  12. ^ https://ballstatesports.com/sports/mens-volleyball/schedule/2022
  13. ^ https://www.thestarpress.com/videos/sports/college/ball-state/2022/05/06/ball-state-mens-volleyball-coach-donan-cruz-speaks-after-semifinal-loss-hawaii/9671499002/