Adrian Rodriguez to retire from basketball
UTSA fifth-year forward to retire due to medical reasons
SAN ANTONIO -- UTSA men’s basketball fifth-year senior forward Adrian Rodriguez has elected to retire from basketball for medical reasons, he announced on Wednesday.
“Today is a hard day as I’m announcing that I am completing my career as a Roadrunner due to medical reasons,” Rodriguez said. “I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play the game that I love for as long as I have. Without Him none of this would have been possible. I want to give a huge thank you to the Roadrunner Nation for the constant support throughout the years and hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have. I have made so many life-long friendships throughout my time in a UTSA jersey. I have created amazing relationships with the coaches and staff. It gives me great comfort that I can call on them for anything. All the relationships I have created have only grown stronger through the good times and the bad. These past few years have taught me a lot about myself. During my time with Coach Henson, I have grown not only as a basketball player, but as a man and for that I am eternally grateful. Birds Up!”
Rodriguez, a native of Tulsa, Okla., has battled injuries throughout his career as a Roadrunner. He suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener of his true freshman season on Nov. 12, 2017, a game that saw him opened his career with 10 points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes. He battled back to return to the court for the 2018-19 season, playing in 29 of UTSA’s 32 games.
In his third season in 2019-20, Rodriguez played in 23 games with three starts before playing in 18 of 26 games in 2020-21 with four starts in the post. A 6-foot-7, 245-pound bruiser in the post, Rodriguez played in 71 games with seven starts in his career, scoring 157 points and grabbing 184 rebounds, blocking 17 shots with 10 steals.
“Adrian means so much to this program,” UTSA head coach Steve Henson said. “He has been so vital to this program and the campus community since arriving here from Tulsa. His work ethic, positive attitude and passion for his school and teammates has been inspirational. After suffering an injury in his first collegiate game, Adrian worked daily at rehab in an effort to be the best teammate he can be and only through his hard work he was able to come back and become a key part of our roster for the last three years. His energy and positivity has been infectious and he has always been there for his teammates. It was a joy to coach him and we will always be in his corner. We know that Adrian is going to be successful in his next stage of life and that he will always be a Roadrunner.”
UTSA opens its 2021-22 season on Nov. 9, hosting the season opener at the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.
UTSA fifth-year forward to retire due to medical reasons
SAN ANTONIO -- UTSA men’s basketball fifth-year senior forward Adrian Rodriguez has elected to retire from basketball for medical reasons, he announced on Wednesday.
“Today is a hard day as I’m announcing that I am completing my career as a Roadrunner due to medical reasons,” Rodriguez said. “I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play the game that I love for as long as I have. Without Him none of this would have been possible. I want to give a huge thank you to the Roadrunner Nation for the constant support throughout the years and hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have. I have made so many life-long friendships throughout my time in a UTSA jersey. I have created amazing relationships with the coaches and staff. It gives me great comfort that I can call on them for anything. All the relationships I have created have only grown stronger through the good times and the bad. These past few years have taught me a lot about myself. During my time with Coach Henson, I have grown not only as a basketball player, but as a man and for that I am eternally grateful. Birds Up!”
Rodriguez, a native of Tulsa, Okla., has battled injuries throughout his career as a Roadrunner. He suffered a season-ending injury in the season opener of his true freshman season on Nov. 12, 2017, a game that saw him opened his career with 10 points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes. He battled back to return to the court for the 2018-19 season, playing in 29 of UTSA’s 32 games.
In his third season in 2019-20, Rodriguez played in 23 games with three starts before playing in 18 of 26 games in 2020-21 with four starts in the post. A 6-foot-7, 245-pound bruiser in the post, Rodriguez played in 71 games with seven starts in his career, scoring 157 points and grabbing 184 rebounds, blocking 17 shots with 10 steals.
“Adrian means so much to this program,” UTSA head coach Steve Henson said. “He has been so vital to this program and the campus community since arriving here from Tulsa. His work ethic, positive attitude and passion for his school and teammates has been inspirational. After suffering an injury in his first collegiate game, Adrian worked daily at rehab in an effort to be the best teammate he can be and only through his hard work he was able to come back and become a key part of our roster for the last three years. His energy and positivity has been infectious and he has always been there for his teammates. It was a joy to coach him and we will always be in his corner. We know that Adrian is going to be successful in his next stage of life and that he will always be a Roadrunner.”
UTSA opens its 2021-22 season on Nov. 9, hosting the season opener at the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.
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