After a successful tenure at Ball State, Donan Cruz has joined the University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team’s coaching staff. Photo courtesy University of Hawaii

Former Ball State men’s volleyball head coach and Maui native Donan Cruz, who graduated from Baldwin High School in 2001, has joined the University of Hawaii men’s volleyball coaching staff.

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Donan Cruz to our coaching staff,” head coach Charlie Wade said while announcing the addition.

“Donan is an accomplished coach and well respected by both players and coaches,” Wade continued. “He had an impressive run at Ball State for four years. Most recently he was a member of this summer’s bronze medal USA U21 team and has a great relationship with many of our players.”

According to the university, Cruz coached Ball State for four seasons with 81 wins, and he led the Cardinals to a 23-4 record in 2022. That team earned No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament and fell to the University of Hawaii in the semifinals in five sets.

Cruz was named AVCA National Coach of the Year that season and later guided the Cardinals to two more 20-win campaigns before resigning following the 2025 season.

Cruz spent 10 seasons at Grand View University, where he led the team to two NAIA national championships in 2018 and ’21 and eight conference titles.

He was Grand View’s first head coach when he was hired in 2011 and compiled a 212-55 record, including an undefeated 26-0 campaign in GVU’s run to the 2021 national title. His teams also finished as national runner-up three times and made the semifinals seven times in 10 years. He was a four-time NAIA Coach of the Year.

Cruz has coached with the USA Volleyball program, most recently helping the U21 men’s team to a bronze medal at the FIVB World Championship last month, marking the first time a U.S. U21 team medaled at the tournament.

Among the players on that team were University of Hawaii setter Tread Rosenthal, opposite Kainoa Wade, and middle blocker Trevell Jordan.