Ruben Rodriguez has completed his second season as a graduate assistant with LMU in 2025-26, contributing to one of the most historic campaigns in program history. The Lions earned a postseason berth in the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament – just the fourth postseason appearance in program history and the first since 2018-19 – falling in a tightly contested 80-76 matchup on the road at Stanford Cardinal women's basketball. LMU captured the WCC Regular Season Championship outright, the programs first conference title since 2003-04, and posted a 15-3 conference record, the best mark in program history, while finishing with 21 total wins to tie for the second-most in a single season. The Lions also put together a nine-game winning streak – their longest since the 2003-04 championship season – and secured a signature victory over Gonzaga Bulldogs women's basketball, snapping a 35-game losing streak and earning their first win in the series since 2008. Individually, LMU saw a resurgence in conference honors, earning its first All-WCC First Team selections since 2018-19 and placing two players on the First Team in the same season for just the sixth time in program history and the first since 2003-04. Picked ninth in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Lions exceeded expectations while building on strong late-season momentum from 2024-25, when they closed with three straight conference wins and a WCC Tournament victory. Despite early-season injuries limiting key contributors, LMU also posted a resilient 6-5 nonconference record, setting the foundation for a championship run.
A Los Angeles native, Rodriguez graduated from University of California, Los Angeles in the summer of 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics. During his time at UCLA, he worked as an analytics intern and practice player for the women’s basketball program, gaining valuable experience in both player development and data analysis. He also served part-time as an assistant athletic director at Geffen Academy at UCLA. Rodriguez is continuing his academic and professional development at LMU while pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics.
