Amir Lugo-Rodriguez - Women's Volleyball Coach

Photo by: Jesus Ramirez

Amir Lugo-Rodriguez

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Alma Mater:
Long Beach State, '15
Year at UCLA:
2nd in 2024
Email:
uclawvb@athletics.ucla.edu

Amir Lugo-Rodriguez enters his second year with the UCLA women’s volleyball team and his first season in his new role as associate head coach in 2024. Lugo-Rodriguez was hired by head coach Alfee Reft on Dec. 27, 2022.

In his first season at UCLA in 2023, Lugo-Rodriguez helped the Bruins to an 18-12 overall record and 10-10 mark in Pac-12 matches. UCLA finished sixth in the conference standings and was among one of the first eight teams to not be selected for the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Bruins’ season was highlighted by three victories over top-25 opponents, including two on the road in the final three weeks of the season versus No. 9 Washington State and No. 24 USC. UCLA finished with a 7-3 record in its final 10 conference contests. Lugo-Rodriguez worked primarily with the Bruins’ middle blocker group, which featured AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and All-Pac-12 selection Anna Dodson and Desiree Becker. Dodson and Becker led all Pac-12 blocking duos in the regular season with a combined 267 total blocks. As a team, the Bruins averaged 2.58 blocks per set.

In 2024, Lugo-Rodriguez guided the Bruins through their first season in the Big Ten, achieving a 14-15 overall record and an 8-12 mark in conference play. UCLA secured two wins against ranked teams, highlighted by an exciting five-set victory on the road against No. 14 Georgia Tech in the season opener. The Bruins also swept Washington in 2024, extending their winning streak against the Huskies to four matches.

Prior to UCLA, Lugo-Rodriguez helped restore two programs in Northwestern and California. In his two seasons an assistant for the Wildcats, Lugo-Rodriguez helped Northwestern achieve its first above-.500 season in eight years in 2022. In 2019, with Lugo-Rodriguez's assistance, California went 20-10 for its first 20-win season since 2011. During the campaign, he mentored Preslie Anderson, the Pac-12 Conference hitting percentage leader (.402) as well as three additional Bears who earned All-Pac-12 honors that season.

Lugo-Rodriguez touts three years of U.S. National Team playing experience. He started as a middle blocker for Team USA in the 2017 World University Games and earned a preliminary roster spot for the 2015 Pan American Cup.

The South Pasadena, Calif., native was a big contributor to perennial men's volleyball national title contender Long Beach State from 2014-17. While playing for the 49ers, Lugo-Rodriguez earned AVCA First Team All-American honors his senior season, in addition to garnering Off the Block National Blocker of the Year and a Volleyball Magazine Second Team All-American. He was a three-time MPSF All-Academic selection, president of Long Beach State's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and helped lead Long Beach State to two straight NCAA Final Four appearances in 2016 and 2017.

Lugo-Rodriguez, 30, graduated from Long Beach State with a bachelor's degree in consumer affairs in 2017. He also earned a master's degree in sports management from Long Beach State.