NEW ORLEANS – LSU New Orleans sophomore distance runner Jose Manuel Rodriguez was named second-team All-Louisiana at 800M by the Louisiana Sportswriters Association on Monday afternoon.
 
Rodriguez finished in second place with a season-best time of 1:49.71 at the LSU Opener on March 21 - .61 seconds behind first-team selection Mats Swanson of LSU. Swanson - who ran a 1:48.71 at the Battle at the Bayou in April - and Rodriguez had the state's only two times under 1:50 this season. Jackson Burley of LSU joined the two as All-Louisiana 800M with a time of 1:50.04 also set at the Battle on the Bayou
 
Rodriguez's mark at the LSU Opener was the second fastest of his collegiate career after running 1:49.68 as an Arizona Wildcat in 2025, and the second fastest time in Louisiana this season. It ranks No. 4 on the Privateers' all-time performance list and is the eighth fastest time in program history.
 
Jose also holds the top two indoor 800M times in school history, and three of the top five. He set the school record of 1:50.51 at the Jaguar Invitational on Feb. 1, before falling just shy of it (1:50.53) at the Music City Challenge two weeks later. The sophomore also owns the fifth fastest indoor 800M time in program history - 1:52.18 and set the school's 600M record (1:22.08) at the LSU Purple Tiger in January.
 
Swanson - who ran a 1:48.71 at the Battle at the Bayou in April - and Rodriguez had the state's only two times under 1:50 this season. Jackson Burney of LSU joined the two as All-Louisiana 800M with a time of 1:50.04 also set at the Battle on the Bayou.
 
Rodriguez is the 30^th Privateer Track & Field male to earn All-Louisiana status and first since Evan Pardo was named 3^rd Team at 5000M following the 2024 season. He joins Parker McBride as the only two Privateer men to finish a season with a top three 800M time in Louisiana in program history.

HEAD COACH CLAYTON O'CALLAGHAN
"I'm really proud of Jose and the great work he put in this year to earn this award. Hopefully we will have a few more like him in the years to come."
 
2025-2026 ALL-LOUISIANA PRIVATEERS
Coleton Benson                     Men's Basketball      1^st Team
Jose Manuel Rodriguez     Track and Field          2^nd Team
Tom Watson                             Golf                                 2^nd Team
 
BLUES ON TUES. NEWSLETTER
To keep up with all athletics news at the University of New Orleans, subscribe here for our weekly newsletter.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
Keep up to date with everything LSU New Orleans Cross Country and Track & Field. Follow @PrivateersTFXC on Twitter/X, @PrivateersTFXC on Instagram, and like /PrivateersTFXC on Facebook.