Sal Rodriguez was named the head softball coach in the summer of 2023 and moves into the role after being named Assistant Athletic Director for Revenue & Fan Development in June of 2021 and spending the last two years in that administrative role.
Coach Rodriguez's first opportunity to coach the Beaver softball program came during the spring 2023 season when he served as interim coach for two weeks, guiding the team to a 4-2 record and a 4-3 upset over eventual NSIC regular-season champion Augustana.
Prior to serving as Assistant AD and interim head coach, Rodriguez spent 2 seasons as the assistant softball coach at Bishop Ryan High School and was head coach for the Lions for the 2020-21 season.
Rodriguez completed his first season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Minot State baseball team (2020) while simultaneously working in Enrollment Services as an Admissions Counselor with Minot State University, a position he has held since August of 2019. He played for the Beavers baseball team from 2016 to 2019. His passion and connection with the Minot State University community stems from his experience as an undergrad and graduate student as well as student-athlete at the University.
His duties as an Admissions Counselor included assisting students with their college decisions and marketing the University to a broad audience. As well as general recruitment and transfer advising as well as serving the student population with whatever requests they require.
Sal's voice is familiar within the Minot community as he served the Beaver athletics program as a public address announcer during women's hockey games and select men's and women's basketball games over the past couple of years.
Rodriguez spent the last four years working with special needs children for Buddy - Tri-Cities Challenger Baseball and the Special Olympics as an honorary head coach.
During his time on the baseball team, he tied for the second-highest single-season slugging percentage (.654) as well as hit the second-most home runs in a season (15) in DII program history during the 2016 season. He also hit the most career-home runs (29) while a member of the Beaver baseball team. Rodriguez was a member of the 2018 team that won the NSIC regular-season championship with an overall record of 34-16 and a conference record of 29-6.
The Crystal Lake, Illinois native earned his Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Management, and International Business and his Master's Degree in Sports Management from Minot State. While competing as a student-athlete, he was captain of the baseball team, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President, Student Ambassador, Homecoming King, marketing intern with men's hockey, and an assistant softball coach at Bishop Ryan High School.
Rodriguez enjoys spending as much time as possible his family. In his free time enjoys playing golf. Is heavily invested in biographical, business, or sports movies, and TV shows. Is known as a world traveler who buys a hat from every Minor League Baseball stadium that he visits.
