Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) athletic director B.J. McGinn has announced the hiring of Ray Quiroz as the new DMACC cross county coach.
Quiroz replaces Jim Dose, who announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2017 season.
Quiroz comes to DMACC after spending last season as an assistant cross country coach for Grand View University, a perennial power in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
"Ray comes to DMACC highly recommended by Grand View University (cross country) head coach Jerry Monner, who has had excellent teams on a national level over the last two decades," McGinn said.
McGinn said Quiroz has developed recruiting ties throughout the State of Iowa during his time at Grand View University.
"In addition, he has experience at the community college level, having been a student-athlete at Indian Hills Community College," McGinn said. "Coach Quiroz will bring a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm to our women's cross country program. I am very excited to welcome him and his fiancé Mackenzie (Mapes) to DMACC."
Quiroz said he thinks coaching cross country at DMACC is a great opportunity for him, adding that he likes that DMACC is very affordable for athletes he will be recruiting.
"DMACC is very close to the proximity of the area that I wanted to be in," Quiroz said. "And I've heard a lot of good things about DMACC.
"The DMACC cross country team is very young and what I hope to do is grow the program. Hopefully, within the next couple of years, I'd like to start a men's cross country program as well and go from there."
Quiroz said he may take some of his runners to community college track meets during the spring season and possibly develop a track program at DMACC.
"I want to get people interested and getting more involved," Quiroz said.
Quiroz is a native of Columbus Junction where he was a four-year letter winner in cross county, track and field and wrestling at Columbus Junction High School. He earned all-conference honors in all three sports and qualified for the Iowa High School Wrestling Tournament twice during his high school career.
Quiroz attended Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) following high school and competed in cross country while earning his associates degree. He then transferred to Grand View University and competed in cross country and track and field. He earned all-conference honors in track and field and was a member of several Vikings teams that finished among the top three in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.
Quiroz will earn his bachelor's degree in sports management with a minor in Spanish from Grand View University in May of this year. He makes his home in Des Moines with his fiancé, Mackenzie Mapes.