AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta State announced Wednesday the hiring of Jon Kruse as the Jaguars’ new head cheerleading coach.

A native of Green Bay, Wis., Kruse is a 10-year veteran of intercollegiate cheerleading. He most recently served as the head cheerleading coach at the University of Arizona, where he guided the Wildcat cheerleaders and mascots. At the time of his hiring, he was one of the youngest head coaches in the nation in Division I.

“Jon is an impressive young man who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in intercollegiate cheerleading to Augusta State,” said Maxine Maloney, Associate Athletic Director for Business & Finance. “I have no doubt that the ASU cheerleaders will benefit from his direction.”

A 2003 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Kruse earned a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in coaching. He spent five years on the Golden Gopher cheerleading squad and competed nationally eight times, earning the highest rankings in both team and individual partner stunt competitions.

“I’m really excited about joining the ASU staff and having the opportunity to make an impact in my first year,” Kruse said. “Hopefully, we can bring the spirit of the entire program to new and exciting heights. We’ve got some new ideas and a fresh perspective we hope will make a difference here.”

Kruse, who currently works as a tumbling instructor for the local Premier Athletic MPact Panthers, also has previous experience with UCA (Universal Cheerleading Association) and Extreme Athletics.

Kruse will begin his duties at ASU on July 1.