Since taking the helm in 2016, Dr. Willo Rodriguez has transformed West Valley College into a perennial state powerhouse in men's water polo. Succeeding the legendary Bruce Watson, Rodriguez has not only upheld the Viking legacy but expanded upon it, establishing a level of conference and state consistency that is virtually unmatched in the CCCAA. Over his decade-long tenure, he has been honored as a six-time NorCal and six-time Coast Conference Coach of the Year, and has compiled a staggering 227–47 overall record in water polo, including an unprecedented 67–1 mark in Coast Conference play.

Rodriguez’s connection to the program runs deep. He was an All-American for Watson when the Vikings won their first title in 1998 and again in 1999, when West Valley went undefeated, and then was a two-time All-American at Pepperdine. After assistant coaching stints at Pepperdine, the University of La Verne, and USC, Rodriguez returned to Saratoga in 2016 to lead his community college alma mater. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he was also the head coach of the Puerto Rican Men's National Team that competed in the 2019 Pan-Am Games. He earned his BA at Pepperdine (2003), his Master's at Azusa Pacific (2010), and his Ed.D. at Pepperdine (2019).

Rodriguez has produced hundreds of All-Americans, as well as dozens of All-NorCal and All-Coast players. A consistent pipeline of talent, his water polo teams have claimed the Coast Conference Championship tournament title in every season of his tenure and have produced Coast MVPs for eight consecutive years. In addition to his leadership on the water polo deck, Rodriguez also serves as the head coach for the men’s swimming program, where he has successfully integrated aquatic fundamental training to elevate the performance of his student-athletes. Under his guidance, the 2022 men's swimming team secured the program's first-ever Coast Conference championship, and he coached Alec Mortensen, the 2023 WVC Male Athlete of the Year, to state individual titles.

His biggest influences have been Terry Schroeder, the Pepperdine and Olympic head coach, and Watson. Topping his list of favorite WVC memories is shaving Watson's trademark mustache after winning the 1998 state championship. Like Watson, Rodriguez expects "excellence" from his athletes in the water and in the classroom. His self-described demanding, yet "fun" coaching style fits in perfectly at West Valley, which he says offers student-athletes the "best facilities, the best connections, and the best education in one of the most beautiful places in California."

Rodriguez wants his Viking players to take "great memories and friendships" with them when they graduate. Great memories, great facilities, a great education, and a championship-caliber water polo experience—these are more than just words to Willo Rodriguez. He, after all, left Saratoga to seek his dreams and then returned to ensure the Viking men's water polo and swimming legacy continued.

For more information about West Valley men's water polo, contact Coach Rodriguez at willo.rodriguez@westvalley.edu.

Coach Rodriguez Year-By-Year at West Valley: