On May 21, 2012, the Ripon College athletic department announced Eric Cruise as its 14th head baseball coach in school history. He spent the previous 11 years as an assistant coach for the Red Hawks, with seven as the team's associate head coach. During the course of his head coaching career, he has compiled a career record of 198-226, which marks the third-highest win total in Ripon College baseball history, behind two Ripon Athletics Hall of Famers - Gordie and Bob Gillespie. Cruise is the 10th-winningest coach in Midwest Conference history.
Cruise couldn't have had a much better start as a head coach, as he was named Midwest Conference North Division Coach of the Year in each of his first two seasons. Cruise led the Red Hawks to at least 24 wins in each of his first three seasons, finishing first in the MWC North Division each year. The Red Hawks have gone 107-78 in conference games during Cruise's tenure as head coach while posting a home record of 66-48.
In 2024, Ripon endured a difficult non-conference schedule but picked up wins over a pair of NCAA Tournament teams in both conference and non-conference action (Keystone and Beloit). In addition, Ripon won four Midwest Conference series and pushed the envelope offensively -- Ripon's 60 doubles, 74 stolen bases and 56 hit-by-pitches in 2024 were second-most in school history and the team's .291 batting average was the fifth-best mark in program history. Blaine Wahlen and Nick Terrell were named All-Midwest Conference performers, while a number of Red Hawks set individual program records: Kyler Hickman (19 single-season hit-by-pitches), Brock Turkington (10 career saves) and Nick Terrell (155 career games played, 55 career doubles).
The 2023 season saw the Red Hawks accumulate their fifth-most wins in a single season in program history, qualifying for the MWC Tournament and coming up one win shy of the NCAA Tournament. Ripon also won 15 conference games for the first time since 2003 -- the second-highest MWC win total in school history. The 15 MWC wins mark the sixth-highest single-season win total in league history. Brock Warren and Kyler Hickman were first-team All-Midwest Conference selections, while Hickman was named the MWC Newcomer of the Year. Ripon set school records in stolen bases (97) and hit-by-pitches (70) while Warren recorded 23 stolen bases to place him second on Ripon's all-time stolen base leaderboard.
In 2022, Ripon returned to the MWC Tournament after placing six players on the postseason All-Midwest Conference team -- second among all league schools. Nick Terrell highlighted the group, earning a spot on the All-Midwest Conference first team while setting school records in games played in a single season and doubles.
The 2019 season saw Cruise lead the Red Hawks to their first MWC Tournament appearance in four years, advancing to the MWC Championship Game. They finished that year with a 24-18 record, while setting a school record for saves (10), and ranking in the top 10 in school history in strikeouts (267), hits (441), runs (272), doubles (73), and stolen bases (51). That season also featured the team winning 14 of 16 games mid-way through the season, which included an eight-game winning streak, its longest in four seasons. Michael Barnes was named the MWC North Player of the Year after hitting .417 with 16 extra-base hits.
In 2015, Ripon won their 21st MWC Championship in program history, advancing to the NCAA Midwest Regional in La Crosse, Wis. In their first game of that Regional, the Red Hawks defeated defending national champion and third-ranked UW-Whitewater. In that season, Cruise coached Michael Polcyn and Marshall Zahn to their second consecutive MWC North Player and Pitcher of the Year awards, respectively. Polcyn was also named All-American Honorable Mention and went on to sign an undrafted free agent deal with a St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliate.
In 2014, Cruise coached the Red Hawks to a 14-2 conference record and a first place finish in the MWC North Division. He also oversaw MWC North Player of the Year (Michael Polcyn) and MWC North Pitcher of the Year (Marshall Zahn). Polcyn also earned Central Region Player of the Year and All-American First Team honors.
The 2013 season, Cruise's first as a collegiate head coach, was a rousing success. He led the program to its 20th MWC Championship and 11th appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament, as the Red Hawks finished 14-2 in the MWC and in first place in the MWC North Division.
Prior to his time at Ripon College, Cruise spent two years managing the Oshkosh Giants in a semi-pro league. He also spent one year as an assistant varsity coach at Oshkosh West High School. In 2001, Cruise served as a media relations intern with the Chicago Cubs.
Cruise earned his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics Statistics from UW-Oshkosh in 2002 and received his Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from UW-Oshkosh in 2008.
A native of Oregon, Wis., Cruise graduated from Oregon High School in 1995. While in high school, Cruise earned two letters each in football and baseball. As a middle infielder, Cruise received the Jack Statz award as a senior, which is given to the senior that shows the most commitment to the program with hard work and dedication.
Cruise currently resides in Neenah.
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