Who is Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s Dating? Who is Dominique Ruotolo?

In sports, stories of love are not unusual. One of the recent ones capturing the attention of sports fans is the growing relationship between Miami Heat’s Small Forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and track athlete Dominique Ruotolo. While Jaquez Jr. has been making headlines for his skills on the basketball court, Ruotolo’s accomplishments in track have been noticed as well.

This couple is winning hearts both on and off the field. Let’s take a closer look at the lives of these young athletes and explore the journey of Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s track athlete girlfriend, Dominique Ruotolo, and some details about their relationship.

Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s Love Story

Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Dominique Ruotolo met while they were both attending the University of California and started dating less than a year ago. The couple was seen at rapper Offset’s birthday party in December 2023, although her identity was not initially known.

Photos of them from that party surprised fans. Jaquez later shared pictures of her on his Instagram, followed by their appearance together at the 14th Annual Miami HEAT Gala, where Ruotolo was his date.

When Jaquez turned 23, his girlfriend shared a heartfelt message for him on her Instagram, saying, “Happy Birthday to my love. Literally my best friend and the best human I’ve ever met. luh u tons. My Goldie locks & pooks.” In an interview with AXIOS Miami, Jaquez said that his best day ever would involve going to a boat with his girlfriend.

From the looks of it, the two make a great pair, both in their personal lives and their individual careers. Now, let’s learn more about the rising track talent of Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s girlfriend.

The Mexican Roots of Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Jaime is of Mexican descent but was born in Irvine, California, on February 18, 2001. His family has been in America since his grandfather moved from Mexico many years ago. Jaime grew up in Camarillo and attended Camarillo High School.

Even though he spent most of his life in America, Jaime stays connected to his Mexican heritage. He represented the Mexican National Team in the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru. Jaime benefited from having dual citizenship and was part of the 2017 USA Basketball Men’s U16 National Team training camp.

Who is Dominique Ruotolo?

In addition to his success in the NBA, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is making progress in his personal life. He started dating USC star Dominique Ruotolo less than a year ago. They made their relationship public some time ago and have been seen together at several events and parties.

Ruotolo was Jaime’s date to the 14th Annual Miami HEAT Gala and shared a touching message for the Miami Heat rookie on his 23rd birthday, saying, “Happy Birthday to my love. Literally my best friend and the best human I’ve ever met. luh u tons. My Goldie locks & pooks.”

Beyond being Jaime’s girlfriend, Dominique is an accomplished track and field athlete at USC. She is ranked 10th on USC’s indoor triple jump list and 6th on the All-time Outdoor triple jump list. Dominique has also earned several awards, including the 2017 USA U20 bronze medal and the 2021 PAC-12 Championship.

Early Life

Jaime Jaquez Jr. was born in Irvine, California, on February 18, 2001. He is the son of Angela and Jaime Sr., who met while playing basketball at Concordia University. Jaime’s father is of Mexican descent, while his mother is of Norwegian descent.

Jaime has a younger brother named Marcos and a younger sister named Gabriela. Marcos plays as a defensive lineman for the Camarillo High football team, and his sister followed Jaime’s path to basketball. She is part of the UCLA women’s basketball team as a freshman in the 2022–23 season.

High School

Jaime Jaquez Jr. grew up in Camarillo and attended Camarillo High School. As a freshman, he averaged 15.3 points per game (PPG), 10.0 rebounds per game (RPG), 2.3 assists per game (APG), and 2.6 steals per game (SPG), helping his team achieve a 25-7 win-loss record.

He also led his team to the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). In his senior year, Jaquez Jr. made a big impact, averaging 31.7 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, and 2.1 SPG. He helped his team win its first-ever Coastal Canyon League title that year.

By the time he finished high school, Jaime had scored a total of 2,653 points and set a new school record for the most points in a single game with 54 points against Royal High School.

College

Jaime Jaquez Jr. attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) during his college years and was recruited by former Bruins’ coach Steve Alford in 2018. He became a starter for the Bruins in 2019 and was named an honorable mention in the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.

In his senior year, Jaquez won the Pac-12 Player of the Year award. He was the first player to win the award since Kevin Love in 2008 and the first senior to win it since Ed O’Bannon in 1995. He averaged 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds during his senior year with the Bruins.

Rising Track Star

Dominique, who turns 24 today, was born on April 19, 2000, in Aarau, Switzerland, to Frank and Aurelie Ruotolo and has five siblings. She grew up in Newport Beach and attended high school at Mater Dei in Santa Ana, where she specialized in long jump, triple jump, and high jump.

After graduating, she first went to the University of Oregon before transferring to the University of Southern California, where she is now a Senior athlete. At her previous school, Dominique ranked second on the University’s all-time triple jump list.

Dominique has stood out at USC, earning the title of 2022 All-American and becoming a contender in the World Championships and Olympic Trials qualifier. She has a Pac-12 championship to her name and won a bronze at the 2017 USA U20 event, along with several other awards in her sport.

Ranked among USC’s top athletes, she has made a mark in Trojan (USC Athletes) history. Outside of athletics, Dominique is interested in art and languages. She plans to continue her athletic career after graduation, meaning her journey has just begun.