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 2011 season will be Rodríguez's sevent as head coach for TAMIU's men's and women's cross country teams.

TAMIU's women notched their best finish ever at last year's Heartland Conference Championships, finishing in third place in the team standings. The men finished in fifth place at that same meet.

Rodríguez is confident that both squads can challenge for better finishes at the Heartland Conference and NCAA South Central Regional meets this season.

A total of five runners have earned All-Heartland Conference honors with top-10 finishes at the conference meet under Rodríguez's direction. Marlene Gutíerrez finished third at last year's Heartland Conference Championships with Crystal Dickinson finishing in sixth place. The accomplishment marked the third straight All-Heartland Conference finish for Gutíerrez.

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.