Victor Santa Cruz
Now in his fourth season as the head coach at Azusa Pacific, Santa Cruz is a fearless and optimistic leader who has infused a highly competitive spirit with a personal and caring approach to make Azusa Pacific football a unique brand of play.
“I'm a passionate guy,” said Santa Cruz. “I'm passionate about Jesus Christ, my family and Azusa Pacific. Through the regiments of competing on the field and in the classroom, I want to see young men exit this program with an understanding of effective process, a sense of self, and the vision to become successful husbands, fathers, employees and employers .”
Santa Cruz has taken on any and every type of opponent, fashioning a Cougar schedule In the process, he has quietly raised the confidence level to another bar. As an independent member of the NAIA, Azusa Pacific plays a demanding schedules that comprises primarily of top NCAA Division II, 1AA, and NAIA programs. The Cougars have throughout the country having played in Florida, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Oregon, Louisiana, Missouri, Washington, and Oklahoma. .
Now in his ninth year on the Cougar coaching staff, Santa Cruz came to Azusa Pacific in 2001. During his first 3 seasons he served as the offensive coordinator, overseeing the development of the program's all-time leading passer (Luke Winslow) the fourth-best all-time rusher (Ben Buys).
However, it was 5 years ago, when he became the Cougar defensive coordinator that Santa Cruz's coaching star began to shine. In his first year as the Cougars' defensive coordinator, he redesigned and then produced what is arguably the best defense in program history – the 2004 Cougar defenders. A unit not necessarily gifted with size but rather with an inordinate amount of speed and ruggedness, the 2004 Cougar defense allowed just 135 points in 14 games (school-record low 9.6 points a game) and registered an NAIA-leading 55 quarterback sacks. Better yet, in 3 NAIA playoff games, the Cougars surrendered just 17 points, holding 2 of the NAIA's top 4 offenses (No. 1 Sioux Falls and No. 4 Northwestern Oklahoma) to a combined 3 points.
Despite losing several key figures from that squad, it was still the 2005 Cougar defense that propelled Azusa Pacific back to the NAIA playoffs for a sixth time in 8 years.
As a head coach, Santa Cruz' first team took on the most difficult schedule in program history. Of Azusa Pacific's 10 opponents in 2006, 6 combined for an impressive 60-10 (.857) record. One opponent went on to capture the NCAA I-AA mid-major championship (San Diego) and another was the NCAA DIII runner-up (Wisconsin-Whitewater). The Cougars endured just their second losing season in 9 years, but it set the table for the following season, when again in 2007 Azusa Pacific took on a challenging schedule. This time his Cougars fashioned a 6-5 record against 7 nationally-ranked teams and an NCAA Division I FCS team.
Prior to arriving at Azusa Pacific for his first collegiate coaching assignment, Santa Cruz spent 5 seasons as an assistant at El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif., coaching the linebackers. He served under longtime area coach Herb Meyer.
At the same time Santa Cruz worked as the San Diego County director of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a position that first introduced him to Azusa Pacific. While with the FCA he established the infrastructure for its 1999 start-up and then raised funds for the $200,000 annual budget.
Santa Cruz played his collegiate ball at the University of Hawaii, where he was a 4-year linebacker for the Rainbows, tallying 139 tackles (83 solo) during his career. He redshirted the 1990 season and then played in 46 games over the next 4 seasons (1991-94). As a 1992 sophomore, he played on the Rainbows' Western Athletic Conference championship team that beat Illinois in the Holiday Bowl.
As a collegiate coach, Santa Cruz has not only been credited for building stellar defenses but also greatly enhancing the atmosphere of the Cougar football program and impacting the lives of players who have come through the program.
“I've come to realize in my coaching career that no matter what level you're at, you and your players want to win,” said Santa Cruz. “Moving up or staying isn't necessarily my goal but making an impression on my players, working hard, and raising my family are.”
Santa Cruz has developed and directs the APU Football Academic Organization and Success Strategy which works with all transfers and freshmen in their quest for achievement in the classroom. His first team, the 2006 Cougar squad, was named to the first-ever NAIA Scholar Team.
The son of a former U.S. marine major, Santa Cruz lived in Hawaii, Arizona, Japan, Orange County and finally San Diego, where he became a prep standout at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Calif. He was the Palomar League Defensive Player of the Year while collecting All-CIF honors during his 1989 senior campaign.
Prior to his coaching career, Santa Cruz worked in sales and marketing for the Sport Supply Group.
Santa Cruz graduated from the University of Hawaii with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1995.
Victor, who also teaches in the university's exercise and sport science department lives in Rancho Cucamonga with his wife Jamie and their 3 children, Victor, Jr. (8), Izabella (6), and Levi (3).
