Soccer
There isn’t any doubt who the most effective return man within the Nice Midwest Athletic Convention has been via 4 weeks of the 2024 soccer season.
On Saturday, Hillsdale Faculty sophomore Shea Ruddy bolstered his declare along with his greatest day but in Hillsdale’s 28-21 highway loss to Findlay, and that efficiency was sturdy sufficient to earn the extensive receiver G-MAC Particular Groups Participant of the Week recognition.
Ruddy was accountable for all three of Hillsdale’s touchdowns within the contest in opposition to the Oilers, but it surely was his 93-yard kickoff return for a landing within the fourth quarter that sealed his G-MAC honor. The return was Hillsdale’s first kickoff return TD since Josh Peroni’s effort on Oct. 16, 2021 in opposition to Lake Erie, and simply the second by a G-MAC participant in 2024, in addition to the longest kick return thus far.
Ruddy’s landing wasn’t a fluke return. The sophomore put up 158 yards on 5 kickoff and punt returns in opposition to Findlay, including to his 93-yard rating a 34-yard return on the opening kickoff of the second half that helped arrange Hillsdale’s first landing of the competition. His 428 yards on kickoff returns to date leads not solely the G-MAC by almost 150 yards, however at the moment tops your complete nation on the NCAA DII stage.
Ruddy is also a menace on punt returns, with a G-MAC-leading 14 yards per punt return, and an efficient extensive receiver, with 344 yards and 4 touchdowns on simply 10 catches.
The sophomore’s all-around efficiency as a receiver, rusher and returner have made him one of the prolific gamers within the nation thus far, with 895 all-purpose yards, main the nation by almost 200 yards on the NCAA DII stage. His 223 yards per recreation is the very best amongst any participant in FBS, FCS, and NCAA DII, and third behind two NCAA DIII gamers via the fourth week of the season.
Ruddy will look to assist the Chargers choose up their first win of the season this Saturday as Hillsdale travels to Northwood for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Picture by Elaine Kutas