Benny Rodríguez Position: Head Coach

The Texas A&M International University cross country program has made great strides under the tutelage Laredo native and former NCAA Division II distant runner Benny Rodríguez. The 2010 season will be Rodríguez's sixth as head coach for TAMIU's men's and women's cross country teams.

The Dustdevil men have notched two consecutive team finishes at the Heartland Conference Championships. The women's team finished in sixth place last season but placed in fifth place at the 2008 conference meet.

Led by proven upper-classmen like Luis Beltrán on the men's side and Marlene Gutiérrez for the women, Rodríguez feels that both squads can challenge for better finishes at the Heartland Conference and NCAA South Central Regional meets this season.

A total of four runners have earned All-Heartland Conference honors with top-10 finishes at the conference meet under Rodríguez's direction.

Earning the honor on the men's side in 2007 were Beltrán, Gedyon Keflezgi and Eddie González. Beltrán returns for his senior season in 2010 after missing last season as a medical redshirt.

Gutiérrez has earned All-Heartland Conference honors in each of her first two seasons as a Dustdevil, finishing in eight place at the conference meet last year and in 10th place as a freshman. She has achieved nine top-10 finishes in her two-year career.

In his first campaign as head coach, three runners earned All-Red River Athletic Conference honors before advancing to the NAIA National Championships. Achieving that accomplishment were Eddie González and Mark Vela on the men's side and Anetra Matthews for the women's team.

Before entering the coaching ranks Rodríguez excelled at Laredo's Nixon High School and Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Rodríguez lettered in both cross country and track and field at TAMUK. In cross country, he was a two-time All-Lone Star Conference honoree while also serving as team captain as a junior and senior. In track and field he specialized in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

He was a two-time cross country regional qualifier and one-time state qualifier during his career at Nixon. He capped his high school career by winning a cross country district championship and leading the Mustangs to a district title.

Rodríguez graduated with a bachelor's in kinesiology from TAMUK in 2000. He has taught physical education at J.C. Martin Elementary School since 2002.

Rodríguez and his wife, Melina, are the proud parents of a daughter, Alexa.