Oklahoma City, Okla. -- Mid-America Christian University has announced the hiring of Craig Ruiz as its next head volleyball coach. Ruiz will replace Nikki Dieball, who recently took a similar position at Oklahoma City University.
"I am excited to have Craig Ruiz as head volleyball coach at Mid-America Christian University, MACU athletic director Willie Holley said. "Craig will bring not only the knowledge and experience of teaching the game of volleyball, but the passion to inspire young ladies to maximum their talents."
Ruiz comes to MACU with a vast volleyball background and is no stranger to the OKC area, having served as head coach at nearby Deer Creek High School for the past year and before that spending a year as the Shawnee Middle School head coach and club director. He is also currently running the Deer Creek VB Club, which boasts 100 members with ages ranging from 11-18.
He spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Community Christian School in Norman, Okla. and also coached golf for nine years there. He led Community Christian to four volleyball state championships and four Tri-State titles, while guiding the golf squad to state titles in every season at the helm.
Ruiz also coached the volleyball club team at NCAA Division I UNLV for one season, spent two seasons as the head coach at Green Valley HS in Henderson, Nevada and was a graduate assistant coach at Central Oklahoma for one season.
For his career, Ruiz has amassed 796 career victories and is a five-time Oklahoma Christian Coach of the Year. He has coached 48 All-State players and 36 All Tri-State players.
His collegiate playing career included being an Oklahoma AAA Legion All-State selection at Central Oklahoma in baseball and an OSSAA All-State selection in track from 1976-78. Ruiz also competed in golf, volleyball, tennis, football and basketball at UCO.
Off the court, Ruiz has taken on several endeavors, including mission work that has taken him to 5 different continents and 50 countries. His main project with the missions he says is "getting water to the world."
Ruiz will inherit 11 returners from a squad that finished third in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Central Regional tournament last season.
"I am very excited coming to MACU and I know the Lord has given me a great opportunity with an outstanding institution," Ruiz said. "I have high hopes for next season and the seasons to come. In my 24 years as a head coach I haven't been so excited for a season to get started. We have some incredibly talented young ladies coming back next year and some really strong prospects for new players. I am very encouraged by what God has put together here at MACU. I look forward to seeing everyone at our matches next season!"
Ruiz graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Education from Central Oklahoma and is currently working on his Masters of Education at UCO, with an anticipated graduation date of May, 2012.
He is married to his wife Joy, and the couple has five children: Aaron, Drew, Chase, Brooke and Cade.
