On May 4, 2019 at the Laguna Hills Community Center, Cerritos College wrestling coach Donny Garriott was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Garriott, who has been the Falcons head coach for 13 seasons, was honored for his wrestling career at West Torrance High School, El Camino College and Chico State University, along with his high school and college coaching career. He is the seventh person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame that has connections to Cerritos College.
As a high school wrestler, Garriott placed fourth at the CIF State Championships as a senior, while he was a two-time All-American at El Camino College. After transferring to Chico State, Garriott was a two-time Far Western Conference champion and a two-time NCAA Division II All-American. Upon graduating from college, he was a USAW Freestyle All-American.
His coaching career includes 18 years at North Torrance High, where he posted a 280-76-2 record, which included five CIF Championships. While with the Falcons, Garriott has led his teams to a CCCAA State Championship, CCCAA Team Dual State Championship, six Southern California Championships, seven conference championships and three second place finishes at the CCCAA State Championships. He has also coached 16 individual state champions, 54 All-Americans and 29 Southern California champions.
Garriott has already been inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame and El Camino College Hall of Fame.
Members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with Cerritos College connections include former Falcon assistant coach Dan Henderson, former Falcon assistant coach Pat Cadwallader, former Falcon state champion and longtime head coach Jeff Smith, former Cerritos state champion Ken Bos, former Falcon All-American Reza Abedi, former head coach Hal Simonek and Karen Tufnell (mother of former Falcon state champion Andy Tufnell).