Staff Directory
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- 816-235-5309
Anita Rodriguez, who was selected as the first head coach of the UMKC women’s soccer program in February 2008, is entering her second season as the head coach of the `Roos. Rodriguez joined the program after serving on the coaching staff at Kent State University from 2001-07.
Rodriguez coached the `Roos to their first program victory on Oct. 16, 2009, with a 2-0 win over Southern Utah. It also marked the first win for the women at Durwood Soccer Stadium and Recreational Field. The program also recorded its first tie on September 20, 2009, against South Dakota (1-1).
During the inaugural season, Rodriguez had two players named to the PUMA Skyhawk all-Tournament team in Alyssa D'Egidio and Alyson Russell. Jami Finnell, meanwhile, was named The Summit League Co-Defensive Player of the Week in September. Finnell led the league in saves (159) and saves per game (8.37) during the 2009 season.
Academically, Rodriguez's squad excelled in the classroom, as it posted a 3.26 cumulative grade point average in 2009-10. Fourteen of her players, meanwhile, were named to The Summit League Fall Academic all-League squad.
From 2004-07, Rodriguez was the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Kent State for head coach Rob Marinaro, after serving as an assistant coach from 2001-04. During her time at KSU, Rodriguez helped guide the Golden Flashes to a pair of Mid-American Conference regular season titles in 2003 and 2004. Overall, Kent State posted a 61-59-17 overall record during her time on the sidelines.
While with KSU, a number of players received post season accolades under Rodriguez’s guidance. Four student-athletes received first team all-MAC honors, 11 were second team all-MAC selections and six were selected to the MAC all-freshman team. Additionally, Rodriguez coached one NSCAA/adidas all-Great Lakes region and one Soccer Buzz Freshman all-America selection.
Off the field, Kent State was also strong in the classroom, as 22 student-athletes were named to the Academic all-MAC team under her guidance. She also coached one ESPN The Magazine Academic all-America selection, three District IV first team academic all-district and four second team District IV second team academic all-district selections.
Prior to joining the Kent State staff, Rodriguez was the head women’s soccer and softball coach at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., from 1999-2000. She led the Presidents’ soccer team to a 13-25-1 overall record and a 6-8-1 showing in the President’s Athletic Conference.
Rodriguez also spent time as the head coach at Lake High School in Uniontown, Ohio. She also served as the strength and conditioning coach, assistant junior varsity softball coach and assistant freshmen girls basketball coach.
Rodriguez also has extensive club coaching experience, as she was the Pennsylvania State coach in the Olympic Development program, assisting with the under-14 girls and at the same time, she was the head coach of the Victory Express Club. She also served as the Director of Coaching for the Akron Metro Futbol Club from 2001-2008.
In 1997, Rodriguez broke into the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at Kent State. She assisted in recruiting and handled the daily operations of the program.
Rodriguez, who holds a NSCAA National and Advanced National Diploma and a USSF National License, earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Marywood University in 1995. She then received her master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State in 1998.
At both stops, Rodriguez played on club soccer teams, and was Marywood’s Most Valuable Player in field hockey in 1995.
