Ryela Rodriguez

Ryela Rodriguez

Ryela Rodriguez joined UTRGV Athletics as the Ticket Sales and Operations Coordinator on May 16, 2022, and was promoted to Assistant Director for Tickets Sales and Operations in Sept. 2023. Rodriguez was most recently promoted on Oct. 1, 2024 to Assistant Athletic Director for Fan Engagement and Group Sales.

Rodriguez is responsible for selling and renewing season tickets and played a role in game day logistics and ticket pricing for all ticketed UTRGV events. Last year, she helped UTRGV welcome nearly 120,000 fans to all athletic events leading to record ticket revenue and attendance records for multiple teams. Rodriguez assisted the ticketing team in generating revenue through group sales as approximately 30,000 of the 120,000 fans that attended UTRGV Athletics events visited as a part of a group.
 
She remains the point person for volleyball ticketing, facilitating a record 226 volleyball season ticket holders, program-record average attendance of 1,234 fans per match, a record-setting seven crowds of 1,000+ in 2023. UTRGV ranked second in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), fifth in Texas and 59th nationally in average attendance at the end of the regular season.
 
UTRGV has hosted three School Day's under Rodriguez’s direction. The first School Day, presented by Rio Bank, drew 2,786 fans to a women’s basketball game – the best crowd at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in nearly four years. On Sept. 12, 2023, the volleyball team defeated Incarnate Word in front of 2,167 fans on School Day, presented by Whataburger – the second-largest crowd in program history. The third School Day, presented by Whataburger, saw 2,593 fans enter the fieldhouse as the women’s basketball team faced Utah Tech.

Prior to UTRGV, Rodriguez became familiar with the workings of collegiate athletics as an employee at the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) National Office and was involved with fan engagement and external operations while earning her degree at Baylor. She is a Rio Grande Valley native and graduate of McAllen Rowe High School.
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