After 19 seasons where he won a 3C2A Team State Championship in 2014, as well as a 3C2A Team Dual State Championship in 2016, as well as seven conference championships, Cerritos College wrestling coach Donny Garriott will be stepping down as the head coach. In addition to his team state title, Garriott led the Falcons to five runner-up finishes and finished in the top three two other times. He will remain with the staff as an assistant coach.

Dustin Kirk, who has served on Garriott's coaching staff for five years, and won an individual state title with the Falcons in 2014, will take on the head coaching role. Kirk, a two-time All-American with Cerritos, is also the women's wrestling head coach and has led them to the 3C2A State Championship in each of the program's three years of existence.

"Coach Garriott (pictured, left) has profoundly influenced my life, not only enhancing my wrestling skills but also shaping me into a better person," stated Kirk. "His authenticity, directness, and motivational approach extend beyond the wrestling mat. He genuinely cares about his athletes' overall well-being. What makes Coach Garriott truly special is his ability to connect with each individual. If you've ever coached a large team, you understand just how difficult that is. Yet, Coach made it look effortless. He's genuine, direct, and motivational - someone who deeply cares about his athletes far beyond what happens on the wrestling mat".

Garriott was familiar with the Falcon's winning tradition before being hired to take over the program prior to the 2006 season. He faced it firsthand while he was a wrestler at El Camino College from 1986-88. In his two seasons with the Warriors, Garriott was a two-time All-American while wrestling at 126 pounds and also earned 1st Team All-South Coast Conference both seasons. He moved on to California State University, Chico, where he was a two-time Division II All-American at 134 pounds and won the conference championship both seasons. A fixture in California wrestling scene for many years, Garriott was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019, while he has also been inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame and El Camino College Hall of Fame.

While coaching with the Falcons over the years, Garriott also stayed close to his roots and served as the head wrestling coach at North Torrance High, a position he held from 1991-2008. In his time at North Torrance, Garriott led his team to five CIF championships, six CIF runner-up finishes and 12 league championships. From 1995-98, he served as an assistant coach at Golden West College, where they won the 1996 South Coast Conference championship. He then moved to South Torrance High, where he was the head coach during the time his older son Cael competed and remains there today to coach his younger son, Caden.

Kirk states that his time with Garriott as an athlete and then as a coach helped impact his life in many ways.

"Coach Garriott's legacy goes beyond wins and titles," added Kirk. "It lives on in the lives he has touched and the values he has passed on. I'm grateful to be one of many who have had the privilege to learn from him. Over the past two decades, the Cerritos College men's wrestling program has been a perennial powerhouse in the 3C2A. When people think of Cerritos College wrestling, Coach Don Garriott is often the first name that comes to mind. While championships are a testament to a team's prowess, I believe the true measure of a program's success lies in the lives it touches. Every individual I've spoken to who has had the privilege of wrestling under Coach Garriott speaks of their experience with immense pride and gratitude. Choosing Cerritos College and Coach Garriott as my first college wrestling coach was a decision I made with confidence, and after just a few months, I knew it was the right one. I'm certain I'm not alone in this sentiment; countless former wrestlers under Coach Garriott's guidance share the same appreciation."

When the Falcons won the state championship in 2014, Garriott expressed a sigh of relief. "I'm so excited to win the state championship, but relieved at the same time," said Garriott at the time. "Every day, I see our state championship banner in the rafters of our gym and I didn't want to be the coach without a number on the banner. I do feel a huge sigh of relief to win this championship. I'd like to get a couple more up there."

Stated Athletic Director Jeff Miera, who knew Garriott through his induction into the El Camino College Hall of Fame, "Coach Garriott is a valued member of our Falcon family and his legacy as one of the top coaches in the state has left our wrestling program in a great position moving forward. We wish him the best in all his endeavors moving forward and are thrilled that he will still be part of the program as an assistant coach during the transition to our new head coach, Dustin Kirk. We are excited for Dustin to pilot this next chapter in our storied program, having learned from Coach Garriott, and are looking forward to seeing what he will accomplish. We are confident in his coaching ability which is highlighted by his back-to-back-to-back state championships with the women's wrestling program.

Garriott compiled a 65-21 dual meet record over his career with the Falcons and won over 10 dual meets in 11 of his seasons. He welcomed the opportunity to travel to other states to compete in tournaments and take on the best community colleges. Additionally, over the course of his career, Garriott coached 22 state champions, 70 All-Americans and 41 Southern California champions.

"As an athlete, Coach Garriott had a profound impact on my life. He didn't just make me a better wrestler—he made me a better person. His coaching style was exactly what I needed at that time in my life, and I know I'm not alone in feeling that way. Time and again, I've heard the same from countless others who have wrestled for him. I feel more than prepared to assume the head coaching duties because of what I've learned from Coach Garriott during my career."