AUBURN, Ala. — Rubilena (Rubi-len-a) "Ruby" Rojas has been tabbed as an assistant coach for the Auburn softball program, head coach Mickey Dean announced.
"(Ruby) has great experience not only as a player, but also as a coach," Dean said. "She's from California and came to the East Coast to play at Virginia and was an infielder on a very good team at Virginia.
"I coached her for six years with the Venezuelan national team. She was our mainstay at third base and batted in the middle of our order – either the three, four or five. She has a lot of college and international experience."
Rojas, a five-time Sun Coast Conference Coach of the Year, has spent the last seven years as the head softball coach at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California prior to a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Mt. SAC. She guided her team to the last two California Community College Athletic Association softball state championships, while accumulating a 276-53 overall record as head coach at the school.
Additionally, Rojas and her coaching staff were a three-time NFCA California Junior College Coach Staff of the Year selection, which include the last two seasons.
"Honestly, I can't believe this," Rojas said. "I'm speechless to have the opportunity to go to a top SEC school and able to be a part of an amazing coaching staff. I'm just ecstatic for this opportunity."
A recipient of SCC Women's All Sports Coach of the Year each of the last three years, Rojas arrived at Mt. SAC after a nearly four-year stay on the coaching staff at Orange Coach College in Orange County, California.
Rojas reunites with Dean, who coached the Venezuelan national team (2002-08) while she was a player on the team.
Internationally, Rojas participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics — finishing seventh in the World — during a 15-year playing career with the Venezuelan national team. She won three gold medals in the ISF Central American Games (2002, 2006 and 2010) and silver medal in the ISF Pan American Games (2007). She was a member of the ISF Canada Cup All-Tournament team in 2012.
"I'm extremely grateful and blessed," Rojas said. "I, truthfully, never expected (to be reunited with Coach Dean). It's just funny how things come full circle; I played for him 20 years ago on the Venezuelan national team, then went off on my own coaching career at Mt. SAC. He gave me a call and the rest is history."
Rojas was a three-time first-team All-ACC selection (2001-2003) while at the University of Virginia, where she led the conference with a .401 batting average in 2001. She was the ACC's Rookie of the Year in 2000 and a two-time first-team All-ACC Tournament team selection. She was also a member of the 50th Anniversary All-ACC team. She won Virginia's M.V.P. Award in 2003.