Victor Santa Cruz

Victor Santa Cruz
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Azusa Pacific
Conference GNAC
Record 75–56
Playing career
1991–1994 Hawaii
Position(s) Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1996–2000 El Camino HS (CA) (LB)
2001–2003 Azusa Pacific (OC)
2004–2005 Azusa Pacific (DC)
2006–present Azusa Pacific
Head coaching record
Overall 75–56
Bowls 1–0
Tournaments 1–2 (NAIA playoffs)
0–1 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 GNAC (2013–2014, 2016)
Awards
3x GNAC Coach of the Year (2013–2014, 2016)

Victor Santa Cruz is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California, a position he has held since 2006.

Playing career

Santa Cruz played college football as a linebacker at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.[1] He redshirted in 1990 and afterwards became a four-year letterman from 1991 to 1994 for the Hawaii Warriors.

Coaching career

Santa Cruz is the current head football coach for the Azusa Pacific Cougars.[2] After serving as an assistant coach at Azusa Pacific for five years, Santa Cruz became head coach after the 2005 season, replacing Pete Shinnick, who left to take on the task of reviving the football program at UNC Pembroke.[3]

As of the end of the 2016 season, Santa Cruz's coaching record at Azusa Pacific was 68–52 (.567) . This ranks him second in program history in total wins, and third in winning percentage.[4] Santa Cruz led his team to the NAIA playoffs in 2010 and 2011.[5]In 2012 Santa Cruz led the Azusa Pacific Football program through the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division 2.[6] In 2013, he led the Cougars to a 10–2 season, winning the first conference championship in school history and winning the school's second national championship with a 67–0 win over the Greenville Panthers in the 2013 Victory Bowl. In 2014 Santa Cruz led the program to their first ever back to back 10 win season, posting a 10–1 record and winning their second straight conference title. Santa Cruz was named coach of the year in 2013, 2014, and 2016 by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference[7] and in 2013 by the NCCAA.[8] In 2016, Santa Cruz again led the Cougars to a conference title, and also earned the program's first ever berth in the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Azusa Pacific (NAIA independent) (2006–present)
2006 Azusa Pacific 3–7
2007 Azusa Pacific 6–5
2008 Azusa Pacific 2–8
2009 Azusa Pacific 3–8
2010 Azusa Pacific 6–4L NAIA First Round
2011 Azusa Pacific 9–3L NAIA Quarterfinal
Azusa Pacific (Great Northwest Athletic Conference) (2012–present)
2012 Azusa Pacific 4–74–6T–4th
2013 Azusa Pacific 10–29–11stW Victory Bowl
2014 Azusa Pacific 10–16–01st
2015 Azusa Pacific 6–43–3T–3rd
2016 Azusa Pacific 9–38–01stL NCAA Division II First Round
2017 Azusa Pacific 7–44–43rd
Azusa Pacific: 75–5634–14
Total:75–56

References

  1. ↑ "Azusa Pacific University Football facts". NAIA football. Victory Sports Network. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Azusa Pacific University". DakTronics 3000. Daktronics, Inc. October 10, 2010. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  3. ↑ "College Football Notes: Colorado Set on Hawkins", Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2005.
  4. ↑ "Football: Azusa Pacific Year-by-Year" (pdf). Football Media Guide. Azusa Pacific University Athletics. May 22, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  5. ↑ 2011 NAIA Football National Championship
  6. ↑ http://athletics.apu.edu/sports/2016/7/18/cougar-athletic-history.aspx
  7. ↑ "APU's Watson, Thornton, Santa Cruz Grab Top Awards", Great Northwest Athletic Conference, November 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ 2013 Football Awards, NCCAA (accessed October 16, 2014).
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