Westmont College Athletics

Robert Ruiz was named Westmont's director of athletics on June 1, 2023. He is the first full-time athletic director in Westmont's history.

Prior to taking over his new responsibilities, Robert Ruiz was the winningest coach in Westmont baseball history with 397 wins, surpassing the previous record of 281 in April 2019. He took over as head coach in June 2009 and was at the helm for 13 seasons, the second-longest tenure in program history.

The 2022 season saw Ruiz lead the baseball program to its first NAIA World Series appearance. After earning a share of the GSAC Co-Championship in regular season play, Westmont hosted an NAIA Opening Round Tournament at Russ Carr Field. Westmont won its first game 6-0 over Antelope Valley, then defeated Indiana Southeast 9-3. The Warriors won their third game - and the double-elimination tournament - with a 12-0 victory over Antelope Valley to secure the trip to Lewiston, Idaho as one of 10 World Series teams.

In 2021, Ruiz navigated his club through the most difficult circumstances of his 12-year career: the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the typical fall-before-spring routine was thrown out of wack, making matters difficult for Ruiz and the coaching staff in terms of forming a foundation for the year.

"It was a confusing and strange year," said Ruiz. "This year it was so hard to quantify just how much of an effect COVID had. And not just worrying about guys getting sick, but how difficult it was to have guys practicing in pods and distancing, and the inability to run things normally was tough."

Ruiz and his Warriors pushed through however, remarkably playing 52 games--And without a single postponement/cancelation due to COVID.

Westmont went 30-22 overall in 2021, finishing two games back in the GSAC-West, with both Vanguard and Hope International between the Warriors and the conference crown.

Regardless however, the Warriors were granted the right to host one of nine NAIA Opening Rounds, where they welcomed five teams onto Russ Carr Field with a trip to Lewiston on the line.

Westmont dropped their first game of the tournament to rival Hope International, but bounced back the following day to win two games in the losers bracket against Corban (Ore.) and Saint Katherine. The victories earned Westmont the right to match up with the one-seeded Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies in game seven of the tournament.

And on the next day, May 19, eventual NAIA World Series Champion Georgia Gwinnett ended Westmont's season by defeating the Warriors 14-4.

Following elimination, Ruiz was quick to find the positives from the '21 season, saying, "A 30-win season in a year like this is something you can take pride in. I think most coaches in the college game were just grateful to have a season. And then for us us to not only get to play games, but then getting to host an Opening Round, and then to find ourselves playing on the third day makes me grateful. I think there are lot of things our guys should be proud of themselves for."

After winning 13 games in his first season in 2010, Westmont increased its win total from the season before every year through 2016, when the Warriors won a program record 42 games.

Ruiz' teams had made a habit of making history, beginning in 2012 when he led the Warriors to their first postseason appearance in 15 years. In 2014, Westmont made its first ever appearance in an NAIA Opening Round Tournament. That started a streak of qualifying for the NAIA National Tournament in five of the next six seasons the tournament was held.

From 2014-16, Westmont broke its single-season wins record three years in a row. In 2014, the Warriors went 39-19 and won the GSAC Tournament for the first time in program history. The following year, Westmont made a return trip to the NAIA Opening Round Tournament and posted a record of 41-17. Then in 2016, the Warriors went 42-13, setting the current program record for most wins in a season.

That year, Westmont won the GSAC regular season championship for the first time since 1994, with a conference mark of 25-5. Ruiz was named the GSAC Baseball Coach of the Year, the first time a Westmont coach was so honored. Also for the first time in program history, Westmont hosted both the GSAC Tournament Championship and an NAIA Opening Round Tournament.

Westmont returned to the NAIA Opening Round in 2018 and posted a record of 34-18, before the team once again made history in 2019.

The 2019 Warriors rose to as high as #3 in the NAIA Coaches' Poll, their highest ranking in program history, before hosting an NAIA Opening Round Tournament for the second time ever. After losing its tournament opener, the team rallied to win three straight elimination games, advancing to the first championship game against Science and Arts (Okla.), where it lost in 12 innings. It is the furthest Westmont has ever gone in the Opening Round in program history. The team finished the season 37-16.

In 2020, Westmont was 18-9 overall (13-3 GSAC), with a two-game lead atop the conference standings halfway through GSAC play, when the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

At Westmont, Ruiz has coached eight players who have earned NAIA All-American honors and the only four in program history who have been selected to the NAIA Gold Glove Team. Thirty-two of Ruiz' players have been named to the All-GSAC Team, including the first two GSAC Players of the Year in program history. His players have been named GSAC Scholar-Athletes on 28 occasions and NAIA Scholar-Athletes 25 times.

Since the end of the 2014 season, seven Warriors who Ruiz recruited and coached have been selected in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.

Before coming to Westmont, Ruiz served as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Azusa Pacific for five years. Ruiz helped lead Azusa Pacific to some of its most successful years in program history. As hitting coach, Ruiz equipped the Cougars to post their best three-year totals in batting average (.344), hits (2,132), doubles (422), home runs (304), total bases (3,516), runs (1,653), RBIs (1,490) and slugging percentage (.567). Among Ruiz’ other duties at Azusa Pacific were infield coach, third base coach and recruiting coordinator.

During Ruiz’ coaching tenure at Azusa Pacific, the Cougars posted three seasons with 36 or more wins. In the 22 seasons prior to 2007, the Cougars had recorded only one season in which they won more than 35 games.

"Coach Ruiz is a strong Christian leader with a track record of winning," said Westmont Athletic Director Dave Odell, "and he is someone who understands how to recruit and coach within the rigorous academic curriculum at Westmont."

Ruiz, who also serves as Associate Athletic Director, was honored as an Employee of the Year at Westmont in 2012.

His philosophy of coaching has been largely shaped by his study of organizational leadership, in which he holds a master’s degree from Azusa Pacific.

"Competitive athletics offer the experience of adversity, challenge, work ethic and selflessness," said Ruiz. "Standing on a foundation of positive values and the right character attributes allows for success in this environment. The bi-product of integrity and value driven athletes is the ability to win, or being prepared to win in all of the challenges or obstacles presented. I am passionate about leading a group of young men and preparing them to win while at the same time encouraging them to become great people who are building their relationship with God and impacting their community in a positive way."

Ruiz was a four-year student-athlete at Pitzer College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in organizational studies. With Ruiz at second base for Pomona-Pitzer, the Sagehens won two conference championships. He was twice named to the All-SCIAC and All-West Region teams.

Ruiz understands the rigors of life as a collegiate athlete and the opportunities which a coach has to positively influence the lives of those who play for him.

"I believe that an institution of higher education that allows for faith integration provides students the opportunity for peak academic achievement as well as spiritual maturity," said Ruiz. "My passions and personal value structure fall in line directly with the mission of the institution. I am energized at the opportunity to lead a group of student-athletes toward academic, athletic and spiritual growth."

A strong suit for the Warrior coach is his experience in evaluating baseball talent. Ruiz has served as a talent evaluator and instructor at the Stanford Baseball Camp, Team One Showcase and the Under Armor National Tryout, Tournament and Camp. He has also served as a baseball camp instructor at Harvard and Azusa Pacific.

Ruiz and his wife Julie Ann live in Goleta, along with their three children.