New Head Basketball Coach For Heights High

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Mike Cruz, a veteran college and high school basketball coach, will become the next head boys basketball coach at Heights High School. Cruz will leave his current position coaching Washington High School in Massillon.

Cruz took Washington High to its first district tournament appearance since 2006 and compiled a 27-22 record as head coach. He was previously the head coach of Lorain County Community College and led that program to its first berth in the National Junior College Athletic Association since 1999.

“The combination of Mike’s collegiate coaching experience and the high school programs he has coached at were a big factor in selecting him to be our head basketball coach,” said CH-UH Athletic Director Joe D’Amato. “His desire to build a program the community will be proud of and his hunger to be successful on and off the court set him apart from other candidates. We are confident Mike is the guy to take our program to the next level.”

The Heights High basketball team went a respectable 16-9 last season and won the Lake Erie League championship. But the team couldn't get past Solon High in the district semifinals. The Solon Comets would eventually appear in the state finals.

Cruz will look to take the team further. He's got the bonafides to do it. He started his career as a graduate assistant coach at University of North Carolina Charlotte. He then coached at Lorain County Community College before heading into the high school ranks in 2014. He coached Colerain High in Cincinnati for one year then was a varsity assistant at Garfield Heights during the 2015-2016 season. He helped take the Bulldogs to a state championship appearance.

Cruz earned his bachelor’s degree in history and education administration from The Ohio State University and his master’s degree in secondary education from Ashland University.

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