After graduating from Riordan, he entered Santa Clara University where he played on the men's soccer team from 1989 to 1991.
In 1989, the Broncos shared the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship with the Virginia Cavaliers and finished runner-up in 1991.
While still in high school, Cruz spent the 1988 Western Soccer Alliance season with the San Jose Earthquakes.
[4] Cruz played semi-professional soccer in the San Francisco Soccer Football League in 2000 and 2001 with Mezcala and 2003 with San Francisco A.C. Cruz earned one cap with the U.S. national team in a 1–0 win over Jamaica on September 14, 1991.
In September 1998, Cruz became the head coach of the Archbishop, Riordan High School's soccer team.