Elmhurst University Athletics

A 2009 graduate of Elmhurst College, Brent Ruch was a three-time first-team all-conference selection for the men's basketball team who closed out his career with over 1,500 points and a pair of All-America honors.

Ruch burst on the scene as a freshman, averaging 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He raised those totals to 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in 2006-07 while taking home first-team all-conference honors in the process. He shot .617 from the floor, setting a new single-season Elmhurst record in the process.

His numbers continued to climb the following year as he averaged 16.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game during the 2007-08 campaign. He earned first-team all-conference honors and was recognized as a fourth-team All-American by D3hoops.com. He also bettered his own single-season field goal percentage record by shooting .618 for the season.

He saved his best season for last, averaging 18.0 points and 7.4 rebounds while leading the Bluejays in both field goal percentage (.604) and free throw percentage (.851) during the 2008-09 season. He helped the squad to a 20-8 overall record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in school history. 

Ruch closed out his career with 1,516 points and 768 career rebounds, becoming just the fourth player in Elmhurst history to total over 1,500 points and 750 rebounds in a career. He ranks sixth in Elmhurst history in both scoring and rebounding while also holding school records for games played (107), career field goal percentage (.610) and blocked shots (109). Additionally, he ranks in Elmhurst's top-10 in field goals made (fifth with 588), free throws made (seventh with 314) and free throw percentage (seventh with .822).

In Ruch's time at Elmhurst, the squad posted a combined 76-31 overall record and totaled the most victories and highest winning percentage (.710) over any four-year span in school history. The Bluejays played in the CCIW tournament during all four years of Ruch's career.