Photo Credit: Hawaii Athletics
Maui’s Donan Cruz Joins UH Men’s Volleyball Coaching Staff
BY HSRN STAFF
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 1, 2025
HONOLULU – The University of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball program is bringing home one of Maui’s own. Former Ball State head coach Donan Cruz, a Baldwin High graduate and 2022 AVCA National Coach of the Year, has joined Charlie Wade’s coaching staff ahead of the upcoming season.
A Proven Winner Returns Home
Cruz brings an impressive résumé back to the islands. In four seasons at Ball State, he racked up 81 wins, including a 23–4 debut year that ended with a trip to the NCAA semifinals against Hawai‘i. He also guided the Cardinals to back-to-back 20-win seasons before stepping down in 2025.
Before Ball State, Cruz built Grand View University into an NAIA powerhouse. In 10 years, he collected two national championships (2018, 2021), eight conference titles, and a 212–55 record. His teams finished as national runner-up three times and reached the semifinals seven times.
International Experience with USA Volleyball
Most recently, Cruz helped the U.S. U21 men’s national team earn a historic bronze medal at the 2025 FIVB World Championship—the first medal ever for a U.S. U21 squad. That roster included several familiar faces for Hawai‘i fans: UH setter Tread Rosenthal, opposite Kainoa Wade, and middle blocker Trevell Jordan.
Coach Wade on the Hire
Head coach Charlie Wade called Cruz “an accomplished coach and well respected by both players and coaches,” adding that his local roots and ties to UH players made this a natural fit. “We’re thrilled to welcome Donan back to Hawai‘i and into our Rainbow Warrior ‘ohana,” Wade said.
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