Women's basketball player Jenna Rodriguez signs with OUAZ

Women's basketball player Jenna Rodriguez signs with OUAZ

Irvine Valley sophomore forward Jenna Rodriguez recently signed with Ottawa University in Surprise, Ariz.

It was Ottawa's first season in women's basketball in 2017-18 and the team went a respectable 8-11 overall.

And just last week the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the approval of Ottawa University Arizona for association membership, effective July 1.  

Ottawa will compete in the Golden State Athletic Conference starting in the 2018-19 season.

The 5-11 Rodriguez was part of an Irvine Valley women's team that made the state tournament this past season for the second time in school history. The Lasers went 26-5 overall during the 2017-18 campaign and was co-champion of the Orange Empire Conference with a mark of 13-1.

She played in just seven games before suffering an injury that knocked her out for the year. But in those seven games, she averaged 9.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor.

Rodriguez scored in double figures in three contests with a season-high 14 points coming in Irvine Valley's 81-42 win over Rio Hondo on Dec. 30. She also had a season-high eight rebounds against Rio Hondo.

Rodriguez came to Irvine Valley from Orange Coast College where she played during the 2015-16 season and averaged 13.1 points and  8.3 rebounds per game in 27 contests.

And before that, she was a standout player at San Clemente High. Rodriguez was named first team all-league as a senior after averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures in 19 games and topped 20 points in seven contests for the Tritons.

Signing Photo Gallery