University of Minnesota Athletics
2024-25 Women's Swimming & Diving Roster
Paula Rodriguez Rivero
- Class:
- Graduate Student
- Hometown:
- Gran Canaria, Spain
Career Notes
2023-24 Senior Season: Earned the Dorothy L. Sheppard award and the Iron Fish award at the team banquet... Big Ten All-Academic Team... Last Chance Meet: won the 100 back (53.10)... Big Tens: swam to a podium finish in the 100 back (52.74) and got ninth in the 200 back (1:54.59)... Purdue/Iowa/Northwestern Quad-Dual: won the 100 back (52.88) and finished second in the 200 back (1:55.85)... Pitt Dual: placed second in both the 100 back (54.99) and 200 back (2:00.74)... Tampa Dual: came in second in both the 100 back (58.55) and 200 back (2:06.36)... Minnesota Invite: came in fourth in both the 100 back (53.18) and 200 back (1:56.90)... Wisconsin Dual: finished second in both the 100 back (54.28) and 200 back (2:01.49)... St. Thomas/South Dakota State Tri-Dual: got fourth in the 500 free (5:11.37) and sixth in the 50 free (24.92)... SMU Dual: won the 100 back (55.11) and came in third in the 200 back (2:03.14)... Nebraska/South Dakota Tri-Dual: opened the season by winning the 100 back (55.92) and getting second in the 200 back (2:04.25)
2022-23 Junior Season: Winner of Hardest Worker and Most Improved at team banquet ... Big Tens: came in seventh in the 100 back (52.89) and 200 back (1:55.12); also part of the 400 medley relay that came in sixth (3:35.06) ... Northwestern/Purdue/Iowa Quad-Dual: took first in the 200 back (1:55.46) and third in the 100 back (53.82); also part of the 400 free relay that took fifth (3:23.90) and the 200 medley relay that was seventh (1:43.31) ... Minnesota Invite: came in fourth in the 200 back finals (1:55.35), fifth in the 100 back finals (52.39) and 44th in the 500 free prelims (5:02.69); also part of the 400 medley relay that came in seventh (3:37.60), the 400 free relay (3:21.90) and 800 free relays (7:21.49) that were both 11th, and the 200 medley relay that was 17th (1:41.10) ... Iowa Dual: won the 100 back (54.94) and swam the 500 free in an exhibition (5:10.49); also part of the 400 free relay that placed second (3:29.35) and the 200 medley relay that was fourth (1:44.94) ... Wisconsin Dual: claimed second in the 100 back (55.30) and 200 back (1:59.39); also part of the 400 free relay that claimed third (3:28.34) and the 200 medley relay that was fifth (1:45.44) ... St. Thomas/South Dakota State Tri-Dual: took second in the 10 back (55.81) and 200 medley relay (1:45.07); also competed in exhibitions in the 500 free (5:11.03) and 400 free relay (3:35.41) ... SMU Dual: won the 200 back (2:01.08) and finished second in the 100 back (56.30); also part of the 400 medley relay that finished second (3:49.92) and the 200 medley relay that was fourth (1:45.74) and the 400 free relay that was eighth (3:45.23) ... Nebraska/South Dakota Tri-Dual: won the 200 back (2:03.04), placed second in the 100 back (56.62) and helped the 200 medley relay (1:44.80) to victory
2021-22 Sophomore Season: Named Most Improved at team banquet • finished 14th in the 200 back finals (1:55.77) and 17th in the 100 back finals (53.10) at the Big Ten Championships • came in third in the 100 back (53.65) and fourth in the 200 back (1:57.41) in a tri-dual against Northwestern and Iowa; also helped a 200 medley relay to fifth place (1:41.04) • earned sixth in the 100 back (55.84) and 200 back (PR time of 2:00.66) in a tri-dual versus Wisconsin and Michigan; also helped a 200 medley relay team to sixth (1:43.78) • at the Minnesota Invite, posted a 'B' cut in the 100 back (53.74) as a relay leadoff and finished 12th in the 100 back prelims (54.1) and 48th in the 500 free prelims (5:03.23); also helped the 200 medley relay to a 10th-place finish (1:40.00) and the 400 medley (3:38.31) to 12th · came in fourth in the 100 back (55.78), 200 back (2:01.6) and 200 medley relay (1:42.26) against Wisconsin · versus St. Thomas, won the 200 back (2:02.23) and finished third in the 200 medley relay (1:46.67) · placed second against Nebraska in the 100 back (55.73) and sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:46.36) · won the 200 medley relay (1:44.92) and took second in the 100 back (56.77) and fourth in the 200 back (2:08.93) at Iowa.
2020-21 Freshman Season: Qualified for the ‘C’ final of the 100 back at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, touching 23rd (55.10) overall · placed eighth in the 100 back (56.34) during the Iowa/Nebraska tri-dual · finished ninth in the 100 back (56.30) at the Wisconsin/Purdue tri-dual.
High School: A 2020 graduate of IES Ortega y Gasset · solely competed for Real Canoe NC · awarded club title of top-swimmer in 2019 · champion in the 100 backstroke at the Spanish Nationals from 2016-20 · internationally medaled at the Italian Championships in the 100 back twice · holds spanish records in both the 50 & 100 back, long-course & short-course.
Personal: Native of Gran Canaria, Spain · parents are Cristina Rivero Meneses & Juan Carlos Rodriguez Toledo · lists favorite sports moment as qualifying for the junior world championships · hobbies include going to the beach, reading & getting her nails done.
- Ranks fifth in team history for the 200 back (1:54.59) and sixth for the 100 back (52.74)
- Earned the Dorothy L. Sheppard and Iron Fish awards at the 2024 team banquet
- 2x Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2024, '25)
- Winner of Hardest Worker and Most Improved at 2023 team banquet
- Named Most Improved at 2022 team banquet
2023-24 Senior Season: Earned the Dorothy L. Sheppard award and the Iron Fish award at the team banquet... Big Ten All-Academic Team... Last Chance Meet: won the 100 back (53.10)... Big Tens: swam to a podium finish in the 100 back (52.74) and got ninth in the 200 back (1:54.59)... Purdue/Iowa/Northwestern Quad-Dual: won the 100 back (52.88) and finished second in the 200 back (1:55.85)... Pitt Dual: placed second in both the 100 back (54.99) and 200 back (2:00.74)... Tampa Dual: came in second in both the 100 back (58.55) and 200 back (2:06.36)... Minnesota Invite: came in fourth in both the 100 back (53.18) and 200 back (1:56.90)... Wisconsin Dual: finished second in both the 100 back (54.28) and 200 back (2:01.49)... St. Thomas/South Dakota State Tri-Dual: got fourth in the 500 free (5:11.37) and sixth in the 50 free (24.92)... SMU Dual: won the 100 back (55.11) and came in third in the 200 back (2:03.14)... Nebraska/South Dakota Tri-Dual: opened the season by winning the 100 back (55.92) and getting second in the 200 back (2:04.25)
2022-23 Junior Season: Winner of Hardest Worker and Most Improved at team banquet ... Big Tens: came in seventh in the 100 back (52.89) and 200 back (1:55.12); also part of the 400 medley relay that came in sixth (3:35.06) ... Northwestern/Purdue/Iowa Quad-Dual: took first in the 200 back (1:55.46) and third in the 100 back (53.82); also part of the 400 free relay that took fifth (3:23.90) and the 200 medley relay that was seventh (1:43.31) ... Minnesota Invite: came in fourth in the 200 back finals (1:55.35), fifth in the 100 back finals (52.39) and 44th in the 500 free prelims (5:02.69); also part of the 400 medley relay that came in seventh (3:37.60), the 400 free relay (3:21.90) and 800 free relays (7:21.49) that were both 11th, and the 200 medley relay that was 17th (1:41.10) ... Iowa Dual: won the 100 back (54.94) and swam the 500 free in an exhibition (5:10.49); also part of the 400 free relay that placed second (3:29.35) and the 200 medley relay that was fourth (1:44.94) ... Wisconsin Dual: claimed second in the 100 back (55.30) and 200 back (1:59.39); also part of the 400 free relay that claimed third (3:28.34) and the 200 medley relay that was fifth (1:45.44) ... St. Thomas/South Dakota State Tri-Dual: took second in the 10 back (55.81) and 200 medley relay (1:45.07); also competed in exhibitions in the 500 free (5:11.03) and 400 free relay (3:35.41) ... SMU Dual: won the 200 back (2:01.08) and finished second in the 100 back (56.30); also part of the 400 medley relay that finished second (3:49.92) and the 200 medley relay that was fourth (1:45.74) and the 400 free relay that was eighth (3:45.23) ... Nebraska/South Dakota Tri-Dual: won the 200 back (2:03.04), placed second in the 100 back (56.62) and helped the 200 medley relay (1:44.80) to victory
2021-22 Sophomore Season: Named Most Improved at team banquet • finished 14th in the 200 back finals (1:55.77) and 17th in the 100 back finals (53.10) at the Big Ten Championships • came in third in the 100 back (53.65) and fourth in the 200 back (1:57.41) in a tri-dual against Northwestern and Iowa; also helped a 200 medley relay to fifth place (1:41.04) • earned sixth in the 100 back (55.84) and 200 back (PR time of 2:00.66) in a tri-dual versus Wisconsin and Michigan; also helped a 200 medley relay team to sixth (1:43.78) • at the Minnesota Invite, posted a 'B' cut in the 100 back (53.74) as a relay leadoff and finished 12th in the 100 back prelims (54.1) and 48th in the 500 free prelims (5:03.23); also helped the 200 medley relay to a 10th-place finish (1:40.00) and the 400 medley (3:38.31) to 12th · came in fourth in the 100 back (55.78), 200 back (2:01.6) and 200 medley relay (1:42.26) against Wisconsin · versus St. Thomas, won the 200 back (2:02.23) and finished third in the 200 medley relay (1:46.67) · placed second against Nebraska in the 100 back (55.73) and sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:46.36) · won the 200 medley relay (1:44.92) and took second in the 100 back (56.77) and fourth in the 200 back (2:08.93) at Iowa.
2020-21 Freshman Season: Qualified for the ‘C’ final of the 100 back at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, touching 23rd (55.10) overall · placed eighth in the 100 back (56.34) during the Iowa/Nebraska tri-dual · finished ninth in the 100 back (56.30) at the Wisconsin/Purdue tri-dual.
High School: A 2020 graduate of IES Ortega y Gasset · solely competed for Real Canoe NC · awarded club title of top-swimmer in 2019 · champion in the 100 backstroke at the Spanish Nationals from 2016-20 · internationally medaled at the Italian Championships in the 100 back twice · holds spanish records in both the 50 & 100 back, long-course & short-course.
Personal: Native of Gran Canaria, Spain · parents are Cristina Rivero Meneses & Juan Carlos Rodriguez Toledo · lists favorite sports moment as qualifying for the junior world championships · hobbies include going to the beach, reading & getting her nails done.
Thursday, March 26
Thursday, February 26
Thursday, February 26
Thursday, February 26
