Soccer
9/30/2024 4:24:00 PM

There isn’t any doubt who one of the best return man within the Nice Midwest Athletic Convention has been by means of 4 weeks of the 2024 soccer season.

On Saturday, Hillsdale Faculty sophomore Shea Ruddy bolstered his declare together with his finest day but in Hillsdale’s 28-21 highway loss to Findlay, and that efficiency was robust sufficient to earn the huge receiver G-MAC Particular Groups Participant of the Week recognition.

Ruddy was answerable for all three of Hillsdale’s touchdowns within the contest in opposition to the Oilers, however it 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 to this point.

Ruddy’s landing wasn’t a fluke return. The sophomore put up 158 yards on 5 kickoffs 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 up to now leads not solely the G-MAC by almost 150 yards, however at the moment tops the whole nation on the NCAA DII degree.

Ruddy can be a menace on punt returns, with a G-MAC-leading 14 yards per punt return, and an efficient huge 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 some of the prolific gamers within the nation to this point, with 895 all-purpose yards, main the nation by almost 200 yards on the NCAA DII degree. His 223 yards per recreation is the best amongst any participant in FBS, FCS, and NCAA DII, and third behind two NCAA DIII gamers by means of the fourth week of the season.

Ruddy will look to assist the Chargers decide up their first win of the season this Saturday as Hillsdale travels to Northwood for a 1 pm kickoff.

Picture by Elaine Kutas