Coaches

Entering my sixth year as a head coach and my second year leading the Anthony Wayne Wrestling program. Over the past year, I’ve fully immersed myself in the Anthony Wayne family not only through coaching, but also through my professional work. After becoming licensed as an Investment Advisor Representative, I joined Luminary Financial Group right here in Whitehouse.

My wrestling journey began at the age of five and now have now been involved in the sport for 26 years!

My high school career ended with 139 varsity wins, earning me the titles of three-time state qualifier and Division II State Runner-Up (2012). After high school, I continued my education and wrestling career at the University of Findlay, where I earned my degree in Finance and became an NCAA Division II National Qualifier.

I want to take a moment to thank the coaches who poured their time, knowledge, and belief into me throughout my journey: Coach Ritter, Coach Nelson, Coach Torres, Coach Burnett, Coach Lane, Coach Ramos, and Coach Hodges.

My head coaching career began at Evergreen High School, where I spent four years helping grow the program. Highlights from my time there include seeing our junior high team win a league title, watching Grant Richardson and Jack Stubleski qualify for the state tournament, and celebrating Grant Richardson becoming Evergreen’s first state placer in 24 years. The following year, in my first season at Anthony Wayne, Max Mossing qualified for and placed at the state tournament. Those moments were special, and I’ll always be grateful for the experiences and people at Evergreen.

Now in year two at Anthony Wayne, it’s time to create another great story. This season, I’ll also be overseeing our Biddy Program and running practices for our K-4th Grade and Generals White teams. Our practices will be fast-paced, engaging, and rooted in building a strong foundation for wrestling success

Outside of coaching, I enjoy going to church, golfing, growing my career in finance, and spending time with family. I have three brothers and one sister who have all shaped the person I am today.

I’m deeply thankful for the journey this sport has given me. The people I’ve met, the friendships I’ve built, and the lessons I’ve learned. Now I get to experience it all again from the other side, as a coach. I’m truly honored to serve as the Head Wrestling Coach at Anthony Wayne, and I look forward to helping our program and each athlete reach their full potential.

Apologize for this being so long, but I want our community to know more about me than just a name or a face. I want you to understand why I care so deeply about this program and our student-athletes. Wrestling can take you to great places and I’m inspired to be a beacon for that journey.

If anyone is interested in connecting, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Coach Ruiz hails from Toledo, and he began wrestling in the 4th grade. He also played football, baseball, ran track/cross country, and participated in fencing!

Coach received his undergraduate degree in education from BGSU and his post-grad credentials from the University of Cincinnati.

Coach Ruiz has held many coaching positions over his career at the junior high and high school levels in both wrestling and football. In addition to being a varsity wrestling coach, he recently accepted the position of Head Freshman Football Coach here at AW!

Coach Ruiz keeps up with our young athletes by weight training at Revitalize Fitness in Maumee, and he puts a couple thousand steps on his shoes each day working maintenance at Riverby Hills Golf Club each summer.

What makes Coach Ruiz most proud is seeing his former athletes doing great things with their lives and becoming confident, well-rounded people.

Coach Ruiz teaches 7th grade social studies at Swanton Middle School, loves all things history, teaches an elective course on military strategy, enjoys travel, visiting museums, and works part-time in the summers at a local golf course. He is a self-proclaimed Trekkie, and loves music from the 70's and 80's.

If Coach Ruiz looks familiar, it's because he spent nearly ten seasons coaching at AW! In fact, one of his favorite moments of his coaching career is captured with the one and only Caleb Yates, AW's only state champ in school history!

Coach Knepper replaces the retiring, long-time head coach Mike Schneider, who coincidentally was Knepper's high school wrestling coach.

Knepper (AWHS Class of '97) has previously been on the wrestling staff at Anthony Wayne in 1998-1999 (Junior High), 2023-2024 (High School) and 2022-2025 (Biddy), while also serving as a volunteer coach in practice throughout the years. He was a 2x team captain and the 125 lb NLL Champion for Anthony Wayne in 1997, compiling a 50-7 varsity record over his junior and senior seasons. He went on to wrestle at the University of Toledo from 1998-2001.

After competing, Knepper coached at Middle Tennessee State University from 2007-2013, along with Team Nemesis (Middle Tennessee's elite offseason high school program), The Ohio State University from 2013-2015, and his alma mater, the University of Toledo, from 2016-2025. He has coached All-Americans at the collegiate (MTSU and Toledo), high school (Team Toledo, Team Nemesis) and grade school (AW Biddy) levels, including two NCWA National Champions and over a dozen National Finalists.

Coach Knepper's four children either go to or graduated from Anthony Wayne. He has coached alongside Coach Lenix at the collegiate, high school and biddy levels.

"I fell in love with wrestling in junior high and have been involved in the sport ever since. 2x high school state qualifier, state champion, NHSCA high school All-American and national runner-up, wrestled at Eastern Michigan in college.

I have coached at the high school level 22 years and the youth level 6 years. This is my 6th year with AW. I also coach football and baseball in the AW youth community. I have been very blessed to work with these kids and to watch them grow up in the sport along with my son Logan.

I'm extremely excited to work with our junior high team and continue to develop their abilities and push them toward their goals in the sport."