Cross attended high school in Moline, Ill. then went to Augustana College, located in nearby Rock Island, Ill. Both communities are located along the Mississippi River, across the water from Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa. These cities -- along with East Moline, Ill. -- comprise the metropolitan area known as the Quad Cities.
For the past 15 years, Cross has been in Colorado Springs, originally moving to Colorado to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. While out west, Cross also taught, served as a volunteer wrestling coach, worked in the ministry and operated a landscaping business.
Prior to heading west, Cross crafted a stellar mat career in the Quad Cities. Wrestling for the Moline Maroons, Cross compiled an 84-6 dual record and won the 1996 Class AA state title his junior year. Cross continued his career at Augustana, where he won 143 career matches and was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American at 142 pounds in 1998, and at 149 in 2000 and 2001. In addition he was a four-time CCIW (College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) conference champ. Cross concluded his career as an Augie by earning the team's Hardest Worker Award, and being named an NCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar Athlete. He was welcomed into Augustana's Tribe of Vikings Hall of Fame in 2014.
"We went through a long process to get the right person," Moline athletic director Todd Rosenthal said. "This isn't something we took lightly. We thought long and hard about this."
"He knows what it takes to be successful," Rosenthal added. "I'm excited he's got a chance. He's a great person. He's the right candidate. He's the perfect person to take over the program."
"The expectations I'm placing on myself are higher than anyone's," Cross said. "I'm trying to do the best I can. With my background, history, my love for the sport and the kids, I think we'll have a great program."
"The whole thing is exciting," said Cross. "I can't wait to get in there and get to know these kids."
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