Danny Cruz

This article is about the American soccer player. For other people named Daniel Cruz, see Daniel Cruz (disambiguation).

Danny Cruz

Cruz playing for Houston Dynamo in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Daniel Arthur Quimby Cruz [1]
Date of birth	(1990-01-03) January 3, 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth	Petersburg, Virginia, United States
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s)	Winger [2] [3]
Team information
Current team	Louisville City (head coach)
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2008	UNLV Rebels	31	(9)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008	Des Moines Menace	7	(3)
2009–2011	Houston Dynamo	51	(4)
2012	D.C. United	16	(1)
2012–2015	Philadelphia Union	70	(7)
2015	→ Bodø/Glimt (loan)	15	(2)
2016	Minnesota United	24	(0)
2017	San Francisco Deltas	14	(1)
2017	Real Monarchs	8	(0)
Total		205	(18)
International career
2007	United States U17	3	(0)
2008–2009	United States U20	16	(2)
Managerial career
2018	Real Monarchs (assistant)
2018–2021	Louisville City (assistant)
2020–2021	Louisville City (technical director)
2021	Louisville City (interim)
2021–	Louisville City
Medal record Representing   United States Runner-up CONCACAF U-20 Championship 2009
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daniel Arthur Quimby Cruz (born January 3, 1990) is an American soccer coach and former player who is currently the head coach of USL Championship club Louisville City FC.

Career

Youth and college

Cruz was born in Petersburg, Virginia. He attended junior high in Rohnert Park, California, and then moved to Glendale, Arizona, where he attended Ironwood High School, where he led his team to a 2006 State Championship. He played two years of college soccer at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He was the first UNLV player to earn MPSF Newcomer of the Year honors in his freshman year in 2007 and was named to the all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first team after scoring five goals in 2008.

During his college years he also played with Des Moines Menace in the USL Premier Development League.

Professional

Cruz was drafted in the third round (41st overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo. He made his professional debut on March 28, 2009, coming on as a substitute in Houston's game against the San Jose Earthquakes. ^[4] He scored his first goal for the Dynamo against DC United, he also had an assist in that game. In the 2011 season, Cruz was a big part of the Houston Dynamo team and scored a stunning goal at the end of the season against the Portland Timbers ^[5] to help Houston get into the playoffs. He started in all four playoff games, including Houston's 1–0 loss to Los Angeles Galaxy in MLS Cup 2011.

In January 2012, Cruz was traded from Houston to D.C. United in exchange for allocation money. ^[6]

On August 16, 2012, Cruz was traded to the Philadelphia Union in exchange for Lionard Pajoy and an international roster spot. ^[7]

On March 19, 2015, Cruz signed a loan deal with FK Bodø/Glimt. ^[3] He made his debut against Haugesund on April 30, 2015, in which Bodø/Glimt lost 1–2.

On February 15, 2017, Cruz signed with the San Francisco Deltas for their inaugural season in the NASL. ^[8]

In August 2017, he joined Real Monarchs. ^[2]

International

Cruz represented the United States at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea, the Pan American Games in Brazil in 2007, appeared in seven international games for the United States U-20 national team in 2008, and played in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009.

Coaching career

Real Monarchs

In February 2018, Cruz was announced as promoted to assistant coach of the Monarchs for the 2018 season, under Mark Briggs. ^[9]

Louisville City FC

On April 27, 2021, after spending time as an assistant coach and technical director at Louisville City FC, Cruz was appointed as interim head coach of the club, replacing John Hackworth. ^[10] On October 11, Cruz was officially announced to have signed a multi-year agreement as the permanent head coach for Louisville. ^[11]

Personal life

Cruz made an appearance on MTV's show Made, helping Michael Schwenke turn from "theater geek" into a soccer player on February 7, 2011. ^[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of July 12, 2015

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
United States			League		Open Cup		League Cup		North America		Total
2009	Houston Dynamo	Major League Soccer	6	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
2010			25	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	27	2
2011			20	2	1	0	4	0	0	0	25	2
2012	D.C. United		16	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	1
	Philadelphia Union		12	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	1
2013			32	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	33	3
2014			26	3	5	0	0	0	0	0	31	3
Total	United States		137	12	12	0	4	0	0	0	153	12
Norway			League		Cup		League Cup		Champions League		Total
2015	Bodø/Glimt	Tippeligaen	15	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	16	2
Total	Norway		15	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	16	2
Career total			152	14	13	0	4	0	0	0	169	14

Honors

Player

San Francisco Deltas

• Soccer Bowl: 2017 ^[13]

Coach

Individual

• USL Championship Coach of the Month: August 2024 ^[14]

References

1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: United States" (PDF). FIFA. October 6, 2009. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2009. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
2. "Danny Cruz Transfers To Real Monarchs". NASL. August 14, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
3. "Philadelphia Union send winger Danny Cruz on season-long loan to Norwegian side FK Bodo/Glimt". MLSsoccer.com. March 18, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
4. "Major League Soccer: Match Tracker: Main". Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
5. "Sergio Almiron's curler or Danny Cruz's screamer? - Vote for your goal of the week - Goal.com". October 17, 2011.
6. "Danny Cruz acquired from Houston | D.C. United". Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
7. "Philadelphia Union trade Lionard Pajoy to D.C. United".
8. "Danny Cruz, Saalih Muhammad join the Deltas". Medium.com. February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
9. "Real Monarchs SLC name Danny Cruz Assistant Coach". Real Salt Lake. February 9, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
10. "CRUZ ASSUMES INTERIM HEAD COACHING POSITION WITH LOUCITY". Louisville City FC. April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
11. "LouCity Removes Interim Tag, Taps Cruz as Permanent Head Coach". loucity.com. October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
12. "Cruz, Chabala make reality show debuts". February 7, 2011. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
13. "San Francisco Deltas beat New York Cosmos to win NASL Championship". Sports Illustrated. November 13, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
14. "Louisville City FC's Danny Cruz earns USL Championship Coach of the Month". www.uslchampionship.com. Tampa, FL: USL. September 11, 2024. Archived from the original on September 11, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.

External links

• Danny Cruz at Major League Soccer