Victor Santa Cruz

Victor Santa Cruz (born April 7, 1972) is an American football coach and former player. He was most recently the defensive ends coach at Hawaii. Prior to that, he was the head football coach at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California from 2006 to 2019.

Victor Santa Cruz
Biographical details
Born (1972-04-07) April 7, 1972
Playing career
1991–1994Hawaii
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1996–2000El Camino HS (CA) (LB)
2001–2003Azusa Pacific (OC)
2004–2005Azusa Pacific (DC)
2006–2019Azusa Pacific
2020Hawaii (AHC/DC)
2021Hawaii (DE)
Head coaching record
Overall84–69
Bowls1–0
Tournaments1–2 (NAIA playoffs)
0–2 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
4 GNAC (2013–2014, 2016, 2018)
Awards
3× GNAC Coach of the Year (2013–2014, 2016)

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

Azusa Pacific

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.[2]

Santa Cruz led Azusa Pacific team to the NAIA playoffs in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, Santa Cruz led the program through its transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II.[3] 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[4] and in 2013 by the NCCAA.[5] 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. As of the end of the 2019 season, Santa Cruz's coaching record at Azusa Pacific was 84-69 (.549). He is the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, and ranks third in winning percentage.[6]

University of Hawaii

On January 27, 2020, Santa Cruz was announced as the new defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Hawaii, on Todd Graham's inaugural Hawaii staff.[7] Santa Cruz helped direct a UH defensive unit that led the conference in takeaways and helped lead the Rainbow Warriors to a 28-14 New Mexico Bowl victory over the University of Houston.(2020) Following the 2020 season, Graham wanted to take full responsibility for running the defense and moved Santa Cruz to defensive ends coach & special teams.

After Todd Graham announced his resignation following player mistreatment allegations, Santa Cruz was not retained by new head coach Timmy Chang for the 2022 season.

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Azusa Pacific (NAIA independent) (2006–2011)
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) (2012–2019)
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
2018 Azusa Pacific 8–47–1T–1stL NCAA Division II First Round
2019 Azusa Pacific 1–91–5T–3rd
Azusa Pacific: 84–6942–20
Total:84–69

References
  1. "Azusa Pacific University Football facts". NAIA football. Victory Sports Network. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  2. "College Football Notes: Colorado Set on Hawkins", Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2005.
  3. "Cougar Athletic History".
  4. "APU's Watson, Thornton, Santa Cruz Grab Top Awards", Great Northwest Athletic Conference, November 19, 2013.
  5. 2013 Football Awards, NCCAA (accessed October 16, 2014).
  6. "Football: Azusa Pacific Year-by-Year" (PDF). Football Media Guide. Azusa Pacific University Athletics. May 22, 2009. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  7. Langerveld, Corey (January 27, 2020). "Santa Cruz Returns To Hawai'i". APU Athletics News. Azusa Pacific University. Azusa Pacific University SID. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
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