Vanguard University

Vanguard Career:

Flores was announced as the coach to bring wrestling back to Vanguard and has built a solid program since he arrived before the 2019-20 school year.  He was named the programs first Coach of the Year in in known history in 2025-26, as he was picked by his peers in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

 Flores battled through the 2020-2021 seasons of COVID and got two wrestlers to the NAIA National Championships, and Armon Fayyazi and Ricky Padilla proceeded to finish fourth and second and collect All-American status.  The two would get that honor again in 2021-2022 and Fayyazi would win the first Cascade Collegiate Conference title for VU at any weight (174-pounds).  The foundation that Flores built came to fruition in the 2022-23 season, as Gerardo Hernandez not only took another 174-pound CCC title, but went on to win the NAIA Championship a few weeks later.  Bryant Avila made it three CCC individual championships in a row for VU at 174 pounds in the final year of NAIA competition, and Fernando Barreto Jr. placed third at the NWCA Championships to become an All-American during the transition year.  

Flores had his first MPSF champion in 2025-26, as Marquize Brown took the 184-pound title as the Blue and Gold upped its points haul in its second MPSF tournament.  The team had two wrestlers place fourth at the NCAA Region VI Tournament in the first NCAA postseason run for the Lions.

The"Matmen" were gone for 40+ years but came back to life under Flores, much to the delight of Southern California College alums from 1973-1975 who had incredible success on the mat. During their inaugural season, they went 15-1 and capped it off with a perfect 20-0 season in 1975. Along the way, the team won three consecutive NAIA District III Championships, and hold the distinct honor of the Vanguard Gym being named “The Pit” as opposing coaches hated the wrestling environment due to the raucous crowd and small, intimate environment on match days.

Prior to Vanguard:

Caleb spent the last eight years as the Assistant Coach at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, as well as being the Assistant Coach at Northview High School in Covina, which was his alma mater. Flores has a wealth of wrestling knowledge gained over the past two decades being affiliated with the sport including being well versed in up-to-date wrestling techniques, training modes, and nutrition to best help the Vanguard Wrestlers succeed on and off the mat. In his tenure, he has guided a pair of dual Junior College State Championship Teams, coached his teams to a Top-5 finish for six consecutive seasons, and instructed 11 individual state champions, and 28 All-Americans. In 2013, he was recognized as the CCCAA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year.

Playing Career:

Flores’ education began at the University of Northern Iowa where he gained a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. In his wrestling days, Flores was named the 2007 Redshirt of the Year Award Winner at Northern Iowa before going on to be an NCAA Division I National Qualifier the following year. Twice he was named All-Conference for the Western Wrestling Conference and by his senior year, he was recognized as team captain.

Personal:

Caleb has been married since 2014 to his wife Teresa. The couple, along with their four kids – Caleb, Jacob, Elijah, and Evelyn, live in Brea, CA. Flores gained a Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University – Irvine in 2018. A man of varied skills, he has also served as an adjunct professor at Mt. San Antonio College teaching yoga curriculum, kickboxing classes, and developing curriculum in both areas of study. Flores is a certified yoga instructor. He also was the USA California Wrestling Folkstyle National Team coach.