Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Rutgers-Newark Athletics

Scoreboard Desktop

Events and Results

Composite Calendar
090717 aRIANA rUELA

Ariana Ruela

Ariana Ruela was named the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Rutgers University-Newark on August 12, 2015 by Director of Athletics Mark Griffin. 
 
“Ariana’s experience with the team and her extensive playing and coaching background made her a great fit for this opportunity,” said Griffin. “She has been an integral part of the success and improvement we have seen over the last two years, and I believe she will continue to push our program to the next level.”

In 2017 Ruela's Raiders bounced back from a rebuilding season to return to the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship Tournament in 2017 after a 9-9-1 ledger for the regular season. Ruela brought in nine new R-N student-athletes to the squad who blended well with her previous class to produce a successful campaign that featured three wins in a tough league.

Ruela's second year in charge began a rebuilding process for the program as 12 graduating seniors from 2015 left a young squad in need of development. Still, sophomore Juliana Ceballos and junior Nicole Gomez were named to the All-NJAC team as honorable mentions and will look to lead their side to a stronger season in 2017. Meanwhile off the field, Victoria Benet was a first-team NJAC All-Academic Team honoree while six other teammates earned an honorable mention. 

In her first year as a head coach, Ruela led the Scarlet Raiders to a record-breaking season in which the program set a new wins record and finished 15-9-1. The ladies reached the NJAC Tournament for the second time, earning the program's first-ever conference tournament win to reach the semifinals (a 1-0 upset of nationally-ranked Montclair St.). The Raiders also reached the title match of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro/Upstate tournament for the second time in as many years, totaling three victories in the postseason.

Ruela guided forward Sara Corson to NJAC and ECAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, and both Corson and Cristina Estremera were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region team. Her defense recorded seven shutouts and three players were named All-NJAC in Corson, Estremera and Nicole Gomez. The team was honored with a  NSCAA Team Academic Award and two players (Victoria Benet, Paige Lazar) shared the Rutgers-Newark Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
 
Ruela helped the Scarlet Raiders to a great season in 2014 as the squad compiled an overall record of 14-8-2 and reached the NJAC tournament. R-N went on to win their first-ever postseason contest, advancing all the way to the finals of the ECAC Metro/Upstate Championship.
 
The 2014 squad had five student-athletes earn all-conference honors with Estremera earning all-region distinction as well.
 
The Kearny native has served as a clinician in the New York Red Bulls' Training Programs since 2012 and was a four-year letterwinner at NCAA Division I James Madison University (2008-2011) while also being a member of the Portuguese National Team program.

Ruela helped the Dukes to the NCAA Sweet 16 as a freshman and to a Colonial Athletic Association title as a junior.

She played on the Portuguese U-19 squad that reached the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Championship quarterfinals in 2009, posting a goal against Wales in the competition. In 2010, she was a member of the Portuguese National Team which competed in the Algave Cup.

At Kearny High School, Ruela led the Kardinals to three Watchung Conference titles (2004, 2005 & 2006) as well as an appearance in the Group IV semifinals. She piled up 67 goals and 54 assists.

Ruela graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in French from James Madison in May of 2012.  A Phi Beta Kappa member, she was a student in the university’s Honors Program. Ruela received her Master’s from Rutgers-Newark in International Affairs in May of 2015.

YEAR-BY-YEAR AS HEAD COACH
YEAR SCHOOL RECORD
2015 Rutgers-Newark 15-9-1
2016 Rutgers-Newark 1-14-2
2017 Rutgers-Newark 9-10-1
2018 Rutgers-Newark 7-8-3
2019 Rutgers-Newark 11-8-2
2020 Rutgers-Newark Cancelled - COVID
2021 Rutgers-Newark 10-6-3
TOTALS 7 Seasons 53-55-12

Rutgers-Newark NJAC Postseason Appearances Under Ariana Ruela
2017 - Quarterfinals
2015 - Semifinals

Rutgers-Newark ECAC Postseason Appearances Under Ariana Ruela
2015, 2019, 2021