Donan Cruz Elected to the AVCA Board of Directors
November 09, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State head men's volleyball coach Donan Cruz, who is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Cardinals, has been elected to the 2024-25 American Volleyball Coaches Association Board of Directors effective Jan. 1, 2025.Â
Cruz is one of eight Division I men's coaches to be elected to the board. Cruz recently signed a contract extension at Ball State through 2028.Â
Cruz began his historic run with the Cardinals in the 2022 season, leading Ball State to one of its most successful campaigns in program history. BSU boasted a 23-4 overall record and captured both the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) regular season and tournament titles. Cruz's leadership in his first year at the helm helped the Cardinals earn the No. 2 seed and berth straight into the national semifinals of the NCAA Championships. It was the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2002, with BSU falling to eventual national champion Hawaii at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif.Â
For his efforts during his inaugural campaign, Cruz became only the second coach in program history to earn AVCA National Coach of the Year honors while leading the Cardinals, joining 1995 & 1996 honoree Dr. Don Shondell.His leadership helped restore Ball State's historic tradition of success by guiding the program to its first outright MIVA regular season championship since 1997. Ball State went 12-2 in league play in 2022, earning Cruz the title MIVA Coach of the Year. Â
After his record-breaking first season, Cruz guided the Cardinals to two more MIVA regular season titles in 2023 and 2024. Ball State has earned the top seed in the MIVA Tournament in all three of Cruz's seasons at Ball State (2022, 2023 and 2024).Â
Cruz, who owns a 64-23 (.735) record as Ball State's head coach, has collected three straight 20-win seasons and was tabbed the MIVA Coach of the Year for a second time in 2024.
2025 AVCA Board of Directors
Cruz is one of eight Division I men's coaches to be elected to the board. Cruz recently signed a contract extension at Ball State through 2028.Â
Cruz began his historic run with the Cardinals in the 2022 season, leading Ball State to one of its most successful campaigns in program history. BSU boasted a 23-4 overall record and captured both the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) regular season and tournament titles. Cruz's leadership in his first year at the helm helped the Cardinals earn the No. 2 seed and berth straight into the national semifinals of the NCAA Championships. It was the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 2002, with BSU falling to eventual national champion Hawaii at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif.Â
For his efforts during his inaugural campaign, Cruz became only the second coach in program history to earn AVCA National Coach of the Year honors while leading the Cardinals, joining 1995 & 1996 honoree Dr. Don Shondell.His leadership helped restore Ball State's historic tradition of success by guiding the program to its first outright MIVA regular season championship since 1997. Ball State went 12-2 in league play in 2022, earning Cruz the title MIVA Coach of the Year. Â
After his record-breaking first season, Cruz guided the Cardinals to two more MIVA regular season titles in 2023 and 2024. Ball State has earned the top seed in the MIVA Tournament in all three of Cruz's seasons at Ball State (2022, 2023 and 2024).Â
Cruz, who owns a 64-23 (.735) record as Ball State's head coach, has collected three straight 20-win seasons and was tabbed the MIVA Coach of the Year for a second time in 2024.
2025 AVCA Board of Directors
- Jen Flynn Oldenburg of Ohio State University, President-Elect
- Donan Cruz of Ball State University, National Collegiate (DI/II) Men's Representative
- Leigh Barea of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, NCAA Division II Women's Representative
- Kyle Exline of North Central College (IL), NCAA Division III Men's Representative
- Beth Van Fleet of Georgia State University, Beach Volleyball Representative
- Renee Saunders of Skutt Catholic High School (NE), High School/Interscholastic Representative
- Meredith Rice of Academy Volleyball Cleveland, Club Representative
Homecoming // Cardinal Sinners! Presented by Gameday Spirit
Friday, October 17
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Worthen Arena // Floor Update Timelapse
Wednesday, June 04