AMERICUS, Ga. - Georgia Southwestern State University athletic director Mike Leeder has hired Enrique Rodriguez to be the school's next head women's soccer coach. Rodriguez comes to Georgia Southwestern from the University of Georgia where he served as a volunteer coach on the women's soccer staff since January 2015.
"We are excited to welcome Enrique to Georgia Southwestern as the next head women's soccer coach," Leeder said. "With his documented success at the NCAA Division I level, we feel like Enrique will be a great fit for our athletic department and look forward to supporting him as he works to increase the competitive success of our program."
Rodriguez was brought on staff at UGA after serving as the assistant coach for the women's team at The Citadel from 2008-15. Rodriguez was the international recruit coordinator and goalkeeper coach for the Bulldogs. He also served as the head coach of the men's club soccer team from 2010-14 while at The Citadel.
"First of all I would like to thank Mr. Mike Leeder and the search committee for their trust and confidence to give me the opportunity to lead the women's soccer program at Georgia Southwestern State University," Rodriguez said. "I am humbled and honored to be part of this project, and I will work relentlessly to honor and respect the values of this great institution while building towards a brighter future."
In his first season coaching at UGA Rodriguez worked primarily with video scout coordination, a role that helped the Bulldogs earn two wins over top-20 ranked competition. Georgia advanced to the 2015 Southeastern Conference Tournament for the 17th time in school history and earned a win against No. 4 Texas A&M, marking the highest-ranked team a UGA squad has ever defeated.
Rodriguez also has an extensive career on the prep level, serving as the head coach of the men's varsity teams at the Porter Gaud and Pinewood Preparatory Schools in Charleston, S.C., finishing as the state runner-up for three consecutive seasons at Pinewood from 2011-13.
Rodriguez earned his degree in Architecture from La Salle University at the Bogota campus in Colombia in 2000. Rodriguez played collegiately while studying in Bogota, where La Salle reached the College Tournament finals in 2000. He holds a USSF National "D" License.
Special thanks to the University of Georgia Athletics Department for its contribution to this story