Randolph-Macon College Men's Football

Arruza enters his 13th season with the Yellow Jackets in 2016. Over the past nine years, R-MC has experienced a level of success not seen by the program since the 1960s.  With a 7-3 record in 2013, R-MC secured its seventh straight winning season under Arruza, which is a program record. The Yellow Jackets went 49-22 (.690) in those seven campaigns. R-MC went 5-5 in 2014, which included a season-ending 24-10 victory at Hampden-Sydney. The Yellow Jackets won their final three games of the 2015 season, including a 14-9 home win over Hampden-Sydney to conclude the campaign. R-MC won its final three games in 2012, including a 41-31 victory at Hampden-Sydney, and averaged more than 35 points over its final four contests. The Jackets won their final three games in 2011 as well to finish at 8-2, including a 48-34 win over Hampden-Sydney in Ashland. R-MC averaged 48 points over those final three outings. With a 7-3 record in 2010, which included a 6-0 start for the first time in 30 years and a national ranking in both the D3football.com and AFCA Coaches Polls, the Yellow Jackets secured its fourth consecutive winning season, a first since 1995-1998. In 2008, Arruza led the Randolph-Macon program to its first ODAC Championship since 1997 and its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1984.  For his efforts, Arruza was named ODAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his short career.      In 2007, Arruza engineered what proved to be the best turnaround in all NCAA divisions from the previous season and gave R-MC its best campaign since 1997. The Jackets finished the year at 8-2 overall and tied a school record with five wins against ODAC foes after being tabbed to finish last in the league's preseason poll. The Yellow Jackets had the highest winning percentage of any college program in the state of Virginia and placed 12 players on the All-ODAC Team, while 17 Jackets earned a spot on the league's All-Academic Team. Arruza was named the head football coach at Randolph-Macon College in March 2004. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, since 1999. During that time, Arruza served as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coordinator for three seasons. He was also secondary coach and recruiting coordinator all five years. At Washington, Arruza led a defensive unit that was consistently ranked among the best in NCAA Division III, finishing first nationally in total defense in 1999 and third in 2000. The Bears won four conference championships in five years and made an NCAA playoff appearance in 1999. In 2003 Arruza received the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Assistant Coach of the Year award, which honors assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA involvement. Prior to his position at Washington, Arruza was an assistant coach at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1998 to 1999 where he worked with the secondary.  Prior to his stint at Butler, he served as an assistant at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee from 1996 to 1998. He coached the secondary and also coached running backs and helped the program advance to the state semifinals in 1996 and the Tennessee State Championship in 1997. A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Arruza is a 1995 graduate of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. There, he was a four-year starter at running back, earned Division III All-American honors twice, was named first-team all-conference three times, and was also a three-year GTE Academic All-American, including first team honors in 1994 and 1995. Arruza is Wheaton's all-time leading rusher with 3,179 yards on 645 carries. In 1993 he ran for a then school record 1,209 yards. Arruza holds single game records for rushing yards in a game (313 vs. North Central on 10/30/93) and for rushing yards in a half (287 vs. North Central on 10/30/93). He finished his career as the second leading scorer in Wheaton history and the all-time leader for all-purpose yards. Arruza served as a team captain during his senior season and also earned the James Parmalee Most Respected Player Award. For his efforts, Arruza was inducted into the school's Hall of Honor in the fall of 2011. A 2003 inductee into the King's Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, Arruza was named the Virginia Division II/III State Coach of the Year by the Richmond Touchdown Club following the 2007 and 2008 seasons. He received his bachelor's degree in English from Wheaton in 1995, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Arruza went on to receive his master's degree in English from Butler University in 1999. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a certified USA Weightlifting Coach. Arruza and his wife, Kara, have three children: a son, Owen, who is 14 years old, a daughter, Ella, who is 12 years old and a son, Will who is 9 years old. The family resides in Ashland.