University of the Cumberlands Athletics

Career Highlights
- Entering 5th Season (40-21)
- NAIA Coach of the Year (2017)
- 6x MSC Coach of the Year 

Coach Ruff is now headed into his fifth season as the head coach of the Patriots Wrestling program. 

In 2024-25, he led the team to an impressive 11–3 overall record and a 4–1 mark in Mid-South Conference competition. The Patriots captured the MSC Tournament title for the first time since the 2021–22 season, an achievement that earned him Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year honors. The team’s postseason success continued with a strong showing at the NAIA National Championships, where Cumberlands placed 18th nationally. 11 wrestlers earned MSC All-Conference honors and O'Brian Black achieved All-American status. 

During the 2023-24 season, the Patriots finished with an overall record of 14-5 and a 4-1 Mid-South Conference Record. Cumberlands finished with two NAIA All-Americans, Gage Hudson and Bryce Nickel, after sending 12 National Qualifiers. O'Brian Black was the only MSC Champion at 165-lbs.UC entered the season ranked 10th in the NAIA Coaches' Poll and finished at ten, as well.

In 2022-23, the Pats finished 8-10 overall, with a 5-2 conference dual record. Cumberlands took home four individual MSC Titles, and won the MSC Futures Championship for the second year in a row. UC had seven NAIA National Qualifiers, with two of them earning All-American status.

In 2021-22, he led the Patriots to a 7-3 overall record, while having a 3-1 record against conference foes. The Patriots finish the regular season tied for ninth in the NAIA. He coached the team to a Mid-South Conference Tournament (North) Championship and produced two tournament champions along with five runner-ups. On the National level, Cumberlands had 10 NAIA Qualifiers. Of those 10 Qualifiers, UC produced two All-Americans.

Before coming to UC, Coach Ruff was the head of the Lindsey Wilson program for 12 years. Ruff led the Blue Raiders program since its inception in the 2009-2010 season and has compiled a 110-59 overall record, including a 46-12 mark in conference duals. He led the Blue Raiders to nine top-five finishes at the NAIA National Championships. He thrived at the conference level capturing seven Mid-South Conference regular-season titles and three MSC Tournament Championships, including capturing both during the 2020-2021 season. Coach Ruff has coached five MSC Wrestlers of the Year and three MSC Freshman of the Year as well.  He has been named the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year five times, including garnering 45 All Mid-South Conference honors.

As a coach, Ruff has also seen success at the national level. He raised the Blue Raiders as one of the top teams in the NAIA claiming two NAIA National Runner-Up finishes in 2017 and 2019. In his 12 seasons at Lindsey Wilson, nine years Ruff led the team to top-five national tournament finishes. He coached nine NAIA National Champions and the 2021 NAIA Wrestler of the Year. 51 of Ruff's wrestlers have earned All-American honors showcasing his ability to excel on the national stage. Additionally, Ruff was named the NAIA Coach of the Year at the 2017 National Championships, where his team was recognized as the Team Champions of Character for that same season. 

Coach Ruff and his wife Maria are residents of Williamsburg and are proud parents of their daughter, Mila.