Carolyn Ruffino took over as the Director of Basketball Operations in July of 2019 after spending the 2018-19 season as a graduate assistant at Regis University. In her role with the Spartans, Ruffino coordinates all aspects of team travel, flights, meals and accommodations, in addition to other duties as assigned.
Earning Associate of Arts degrees in natural science and kinesiology at Ventura College, Ruffino also achieved a Bachelor's degree in psychology at UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Arts with an emphasis in physical education from Regis. Assisting with team travel arrangements, player academic assistance and social media management at Regis, the Thousand Oaks, Calif. product now oversees all of the women's basketball day-to-day operations in her new role.
Prior to arriving in Denver, Ruffino served as the head student manager for the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball program in addition to other managerial roles with the men's basketball team. Her work with the men's program helped lay the ground work for the Gauchos' 17-win turnaround from the 2017 to 2018 campaign.
Ruffino's first year on staff with the Spartans saw San Jose State jump to a 13-win turnaround from the 2019 to 2020 seasons, marking the second time in three years she has been on staff for a team owning the nation's largest single-season win turnaround.
A standout student athlete at Ventura, Ruffino helped the Pirates to a two-year mark of 52-11, including a perfect 24-0 record in Western State Conference play that produced a pair of league titles. She excelled both on the floor and in the classroom in Ventura, being named first-team All-WSC in addition to garnering academic All-State honors.
Earning Associate of Arts degrees in natural science and kinesiology at Ventura College, Ruffino also achieved a Bachelor's degree in psychology at UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Arts with an emphasis in physical education from Regis. Assisting with team travel arrangements, player academic assistance and social media management at Regis, the Thousand Oaks, Calif. product now oversees all of the women's basketball day-to-day operations in her new role.
Prior to arriving in Denver, Ruffino served as the head student manager for the UC Santa Barbara women's basketball program in addition to other managerial roles with the men's basketball team. Her work with the men's program helped lay the ground work for the Gauchos' 17-win turnaround from the 2017 to 2018 campaign.
Ruffino's first year on staff with the Spartans saw San Jose State jump to a 13-win turnaround from the 2019 to 2020 seasons, marking the second time in three years she has been on staff for a team owning the nation's largest single-season win turnaround.
A standout student athlete at Ventura, Ruffino helped the Pirates to a two-year mark of 52-11, including a perfect 24-0 record in Western State Conference play that produced a pair of league titles. She excelled both on the floor and in the classroom in Ventura, being named first-team All-WSC in addition to garnering academic All-State honors.