Azusa Pacific University Athletics

Cesar Rivas-Sandoval joined the Azusa Pacific coaching staff in March 2014 and completed his fifth year as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, which was his 19^th year of coaching (with 18 of those seasons at the collegiate level).
 
With Rivas-Sandoval guiding the defense, Azusa Pacific has produced a five-year record of 40-16, which spans the program’s five-year era of NCAA Division II active membership. During that time, the Cougars have claimed three Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles and earned Division II playoff appearances in two of the past three seasons. During that time, Azusa Pacific’s defense has produced 29 All-GNAC selections, including 16 first team picks.
 
In 2018, Azusa Pacific advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the second time in three years. The defense was led by linebacker Aaron Berry, who became the second Cougar to receive GNAC Defensive Player of the Year honors while becoming the program’s fourth AFCA Division II All-American. Nose guard Ma’ake Muti was named GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year, also becoming the second Cougar to claim the conference’s top award for defensive linemen.
 
The Cougars had seven players from the defense receive all-conference honors, including five selections to the first team defense. Azusa Pacific ranked 19^th in Division II in sacks and 29^th in turnovers forced, a hallmark under Rivas-Sandoval as Azusa Pacific has ranked in the national top-30 in sacks four of the past five years.
 
In 2016, Azusa Pacific made its first NCAA Division II playoff appearance in just its third season of active NCAA membership, doing so behind one of the nation’s top-ranked defenses. In the regular season, the Cougars led Division II in turnovers forced and red zone defense, and including all playoff games Azusa Pacific ranked second in the nation in red zone defense (.559) and defensive touchdowns (7), third in sacks (4.17 per game) and turnover margin (+20), and fourth in interceptions (23). The Cougars finished the year among the nation’s top scoring defenses, surrendering just 16.0 points per game to rank sixth in Division II. Rivas-Sandoval’s defense produced nine All-GNAC selections, with five Cougars selected to the first team while four more earned second team honors.
 
Throughout his career, Rivas-Sandoval has served in virtually every capacity, from head coach to offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, as well as coaching positions which include quarterbacks, defensive backs, linebackers, defensive line, and kick returners.
 
In his first season at Azusa Pacific, the Cougars repeated as GNAC champions, posting a 10-1 record behind a defense which returned only three starters yet still ranked third nationally in Division II in sacks (3.91/game), and sixth in turnover margin (plus-15). In 2015, the Cougars had the nation’s No. 2 pass defense, surrendering just 133.1 pass yards per game in a 6-4 campaign.
 
Among the standout defensive players Rivas-Sandoval has coached is 2014 NCAA Division II All-American Tyler Thornton, a finalist for the 2014 Cliff Harris Award which recognizes the nation’s top small college defensive player.
 
Prior to joining Azusa Pacific, Rivas-Sandoval spent the 2013 season coaching linebackers and serving as special teams coordinator at the University of Sioux Falls. He was the head coach at Fort Lewis (Colo.) College for three years (2010-12), and his 19-year coaching career includes experience at almost every level of football from high school to the NCAA Division I.
 
He has also participated in the NFL’s Bill Walsh Fellowship Program with the Miami Dolphins in 2012 and the Green Bay Packers in 2013.
 
In 2018, Rivas-Sandoval was invited to participate in the NFL/NCAA Coaches Academy in Tampa, and in the summer of 2018 he served as a guest coach with the CFL’s 8-time Grey Cup champion Hamilton TigerCats, coaching alongside June Jones and Jerry Glanville with the Canadian franchise.
 
Rivas-Sandoval is a San Diego native (Hilltop HS) who played college football from 1996-99 at UC Davis, which made NCAA Division II playoff appearances all four years of his career. Three of his first four years of coaching were in his hometown of San Diego, first at Hilltop High School and for two years at the junior college level with Southwestern College. His first collegiate coaching position was at NCAA Division III’s Anderson University in 2001. He also has coaching experience at the NCAA Division I level, serving as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Tennessee-Martin in 2008.
 
Rivas-Sandoval graduated from UC Davis in 1999, and he earned a master’s degree in cross cultural teaching with California teaching credential from National University in 2003.
 
Rivas-Sandoval and his wife Jennifer live in Phillips Ranch with their three daughters, Elena (9), Joslyn (7), and Shiloh (2).