Chico State alumna and national champion Katrina Rodriguez returned to the Wildcats coaching staff for a second time at the start of the 2023-24 school year. Rodriguez brings more than 15 years of experience in the pole vault, including her first stint with the Wildcats from 2014-18.
Rodriguez's career as a pole vaulter flawlessly translated to her coaching methods, successfully coaching Taylor Sack and Kasey Barnett to the CCAA pole vault titles for four consecutive years. Rodriguez also got Sack to qualify to three consecutive NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships from 2015 to 2017.
During her time as a student-athlete, Rodriguez won the 2010 NCAA Division II outdoor national championship in the pole vault in Charlotte, North Carolina with a clearing of 12'10.75 inches in her first attempt. cementing her name in Chico State history as one of only six women to win a national title in the school's rich history and one of only 15 across the entire track & field program. Rodriguez graduated from the program with the second-highest mark in the pole vault and remains in the top 10 to this day.
Prior to joining the Wildcat family, Rodriguez began her collegiate career as a two-year member of the Hartnell College track & field team, participating in the pole vault, heptathlon, 4x100, 4x400, and decathlon. During her time with the Panthers, Rodriguez won two conference titles and claimed the NorCal champion title in the pole vault, followed by a second place finish in the state meet. Rodriguez finished her time with the Panthers with the second-best mark in the pole vault at Hartnell with an 11-feet-6 school record.
Between 2019 and 2022, Rodriguez transitioned to coaching high school pole vaulters at Aptos High School, Watsonville High School, and Pajaro Valley High School. She coached her boy's pole vaulters to a Santa Cruz County Athletic League Championship title during the three-year span.
In September of 2023, Rodriguez returned to her roots, assuming the role of head assistant coach at Chico State. With 15 years of experience, she returns to help lead the Wildcats to more success across the entire program, while taking the lead on mentoring the pole vaulting group.
