Sam Ruffin has been waiting his entire college career for the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.
His first year at Adrian after transferring in from Alaska ended with a tourney opportunity being taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic.
And last season there was no tournament because of the ongoing pandemic.
The wait is finally over.
Ruffin and the top-ranked Bulldogs begin their postseason run Saturday night against seventh-ranked Hobart (20-5-2) in the first NCAA Division III tournament since 2019.
“I’m excited. I’ve never experienced the NCAA tournament,” Ruffin said. “I’m ready for it, and hopefully we can succeed and keep it going.”
Interestingly enough, Adrian (28-1), winners of 28 consecutive games and the No. 1 team in the DCU/USCHO NCAA Division III men’s poll, was supposed to play Hobart in the opening round in 2020.
The Bulldogs are seeking their first national title. They were the runner-up in 2011 and have long been a regular contender for the crown.
So, based on that, it was an easy decision for Ruffin to pick Adrian as his landing spot after appearing in 29 games with the Nanooks his freshman year. It also brought the Indiana native much closer to home.
“I talked with other schools, and coach (Adam) Krug reached out and i told him if I didn’t go Division I, I wanted to come play for him,” Ruffin said. “I know the success of the program and I’ve known coach a long time, “It was a good fit for me. I don’t wish I was anywhere else.”
Ruffin made himself right at home at Adrian as he led the NCHA in assists (27) in his first season there. He also scored 10 goals, giving him 37 points, the fourth-most in the conference.
Ruffin appeared in 20 games last year during a condensed and not-so normal season because of the pandemic. He tallied 10 goals and nine assists for the Bulldogs.
Ruffin earned first-team all-conference honors this season, scoring 15 goals and dishing out 26 assists, playing a pivotal role in helping Adrian skate to another NCHA title.
“The offensive side of the game has always been there for me, but I really feel I’ve developed playing on the defensive side of the puck, and that’s contributed to my success,” Ruffin said.
Ruffin is part of an Adrian team that features some of the top offensive threats in the game.
Alessio Luciani has scored 15 goals and tallied 29 assists to pace the Bulldogs. Ty Ens has come through with 20 goals and 20 assists.
Rex Moe and Matus Spodniak have also recorded more than 30 points on the season, with Moe tallying 16 goals and 18 assists and Spodniak racking up 15 goals and 19 assists.
Six other players have tallied 23 or more points.
“We have a lot of depth and that’s shown throughout the season,” Ruffin said. “If we keep playing the game that we have this season, we should be fine.”
Ruffin is more than a hockey player, though.
He’s also also set an example off the ice, getting involved in the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for pediatric cancer.
“I got involved when I was younger playing youth hockey in Indiana,” Ruffin said. “My whole team buzzed our heads to support kids and raise money to help find a cure for pediatric cancer. It’s a great honor to be apart of this and helping the community.”
As for this weekend, Ruffin said he can’t wait to take the ice as Adrian takes aim at a trip to the national semifinals in Lake Placid.
We’ve been chomping at the bit, and I think we’ve stayed focused waiting for the opportunity to play in the tournament,” Ruffin said. “To have the opportunity now, we have to go out play hard and play our game, and take advantage of the chances we get.”
