Benny Rodríguez Position: Head Coach

Benny Rodríguez enters his fifth season as head cross country coach at Texas A&M International University. The program has steadily improved during the tenure of the former NCAA Division II distance runner and Laredo native.

Rodríguez guided both teams to solid campaigns last fall, with the men and women both finishing in the top-5 of the team standings in three meets. Both teams finished in fifth place at the Heartland Conference Championships. That was an improvement of two positions for the women from the previous conference meet.

A total of four runners have earned All-Heartland Conference honors with top-10 finishes at the conference meet under Rodríguez's tutelage. Earning the honor on the men's side in 2007 were Luis Beltrán, Gedyon Keflezgi and Eddie González.

Marlene Gutiérrez earned All-Heartland Conference honors by finishing in 10th place at last year's Heartland Conference Championships. She achieved five top-10 finishes during an outstanding freshman season, taking first place in a dual against Texas A&M-Kingsville and second place at the UIW Cardinal Invitational.

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 parents of an eight year-old daughter, Alexa.