While Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal will be on the State Farm Stadium field on Thursday night, helping his team try to defeat the Ole Miss Rebels in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, his wife Jessica Cristobal will be watching from the stands.
Mario keeps his focus on the football team, of course, heading into Thursday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal. However, Jessica has been known to be quite charitable in her work, beyond caring for her husband and family.
What Does Jessica Cristobal, Miami HC Mario’s Wife, Do In Her Life?
Jessica and Mario have been married since 2006 and have two sons, Mario Mateo and Rocco. She is actually a former Miss Florida World, having won that crown in 1994. Mario, though, was all business on Thursday as he took the State Farm Stadium field before kickoff.
Beyond football, though, Jessica keeps quite a busy schedule. She’s the founder of the Leading Ladies League, a social organization for women that partners with local charities to serve the needs of women and children.
Mario Cristobal and his Hurricanes have entered the stadium. pic.twitter.com/toVYWU0mJM
— Will Manso (@WillManso) January 8, 2026
Additionally, Jessica serves as a board member of Voices For Children, a nonprofit organization that supports youth in foster care. So, the care and concern around women’s and children’s needs are near and dear to Jessica’s heart.
When Mario was head coach of the Oregon Ducks, who, ironically, are also in a College Football Playoff and will face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday night, Jessica was also busy with her charitable work.
Cristobal Family Sees Dream Become A Reality
The Cristobal family might have thought that Mario returning to coach the Hurricanes, a team he played for in his college football playing days, was a pipe dream. However, that dream became a reality, and Mario also achieved a level of success in the Ducks’ program.
“At Oregon, Cristobal posted a 35-13 record,” according to an article from the Hurricanes’ football website. “He led the Ducks to three straight conference games and won a pair of Pac-12 titles.
“There was a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin to cap the 2019 season and Oregon finished No. 5 in both the final Associated Press Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches polls that year.”
When Mario decided to make the move to Miami, some people might have thought the decision was an easy one. Well, Jessica has her own thoughts about that matter.
“It was very difficult. We really loved Oregon,” Jessica said. “The decision was not easy because we were truly happy there. But when the opportunity presented itself, we had to do what would be best long-term for our family, and that was to return home to Miami.”
On Dec. 7, 2021, Mario made it official by taking over the Hurricanes’ football program.
But Jessica pointed out that the road back to Miami wasn’t always filled with good times. There were moments of struggle and pain the Cristobals went through, especially when leaving a place like Eugene, Ore., that had become home to them.
“It’s not been an easy road or an easy path,” Jessica said. “The path to success never is, and it’s not going to be now. We know that. Rebuilding a program is challenging and takes time, and endless sacrifice, but it’s a challenge that excites Mario.
“I’m so very proud of him,” she said. “It’s an incredible and overwhelming experience…That U is everything to him. It’s so much more than a brand. It’s a culture. It’s a lifestyle. It’s Miami.”
So, Mario will go into Thursday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal with the love and support of Jessica and his sons. He’ll look to bring home a victory for himself, his players, his family, and his beloved city of Miami.
