Wrestling
OUAZ has both the men's and women's teams are members of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association and compete at events alongside NAIA and NCAA athletes as well. Home matches are held in Faith Arena; this state-of-the-art facility is fully equipped with the latest in sound, video, and wireless technology.
The OUAZ wrestling teams typically travel to matches and tournaments in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.
The OUAZ Women's Wrestling team is coached by Ed Cruz. He has been the Head Coach of the OUAZ Women’s Wrestling Team since its inception. Coach Cruz has been involved in wrestling for over 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. He 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 from the Marines, he started his career as a teacher and wrestling coach. He has coached at Havelock Middle School and Havelock High School in North Carolina and Bexley High School in Ohio. 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 Championships in Fargo, ND.
Coach Cruz’s teams and individual wrestlers have been highly successful. Below are some of the highlights of his career.
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2022 and 2023 NCWA National Women’s Coach of the Year
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3X NCWA West Coast Conference Women’s Coach of the Year
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Career Dual Meet Record of 307 – 44
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Four High School State Championships
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Nine High School Regional Championships
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Sixteen High School Conference Championships
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Eleven NCUSA Club Freestyle State Championships
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Nine NCUSA Club Greco-Roman State Championships
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Numerous individual State Champions, State Placers, UWW (Women and Men) Cadet & Jr All-Americans, and US Senior All-Americans.
The OUAZ Men's Wrestling Team is coached by Hermelinda Gonzalez. Gonzalez is a two-time national time for the Ottawa Univeristy Women's Wrestling Team, she won the title in 2022 and in 2023,
Gonzalez Recently assumed the mantle of head men's wrestling coach. Balancing the demands of molding a cohesive team while honing individual talents, she is driven by the opportunity to leave a lasting impact, drawing on her experiences as both athlete and scholar.
If interested in participating in OUAZ Wrestling, please complete the form below: