2016 National Champions
2016 South Region Champions
2015 Sunshine State Conference Champions
2012, '15 and '16 - South Region Tournament Appearances
Eric Cruz has completed his fifth year as an assistant coach of the Nova Southeastern University baseball team after being hired in the fall of 2011. Coach Cruz is the recruiting coordinator for the Sharks, landing a few of the top student-athlete recruits in the country in the past five years including Justin Garcia (SSC Player of the Year, South Region Player of the Year, unanimous All-American) and Jancarlos Cintron-Torres (Florida JUCO Defensive Player of the Year), amongst many other top Sharks performers in the past five years.
Cruz’s Corner
Focusing on the infielders and base running, Coach Cruz has developed some of the top infielders in NCAA Division II, including Carlos Asuaje (All-American Gold Glover, San Diego Padres) and the double play combination of Alexander Fernandez (Detroit Tigers)/Jancarlos Cintron-Torres and Dylan Woods. On the base paths, Cruz has coached the top base-stealers in the SSC (Asuaje and Geoff Jimenez) in two of his first four years. In five years, Cruz has coached his base runners into the top three in steals in the SSC, including three years of finishing in the top two in team steals.
Coach Brown’s Thoughts
“Eric Cruz is another great addition to our staff that brings a commitment to excellence and a wealth of knowledge,” said head coach Greg Brown. “His passion for the game and for developing players sets him apart and I am excited about the contributions he will make to NSU baseball over the coming years.”
Prior to NSU
Cruz joined the Sharks after eight seasons working as an assistant at Flanagan HS. He served as the Falcons infielders coach, grooming some of the best infield talent in Broward County. Cruz has worked with several athletes that have gone on to have enormous success at the collegiate level, including former NSU stars Eric McCans and Luis Penate.
Coach Cruz graduated from Florida International in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies. He was a first-team all-conference selection as a senior playing second base and shortstop. In 1991 he broke the Division-I national record with 1.5 walks per game,
a record which still stands today. As a junior he was second on the team in stolen bases with 51, good for seventh in the nation.
Coach Cruz began his collegiate career at Valencia College in Orlando where he played for two seasons as the starting shortstop. He was named team MVP and earned First-Team All-Mid Florida Conference honors.
Eric graduated from South Dade Senior HS in Homestead, Fla. in 1986. He played 4 years as a varsity starter at shortstop, compiling a .350 career batting average. He was an All-Dade Honorable Mention selection his junior and senior years.
Family
Coach Cruz and his wife Marie, who is an elementary school teacher, live in Pembroke Pines, Fla.
