Rhodes College Athletics

Brendan Ruter was hired to begin as an assistant coach for the Rhodes Cross Country and Track and Field teams on July 22, 2019.  Ruter, a Minnesota native and former student-athlete for Hamline University, will be working with the track program’s middle distance and distance runners, in addition to working extensively with the cross country teams.

Ruter began his coaching career serving as a volunteer assistant at Augsburg College in 2014 and then Hamline in 2015.  At both schools he worked with their cross country teams in the fall and the middle distance and distance runners during the track seasons, specializing in the steeplechase.   From 2016 to 2018 Ruter served as a co-head track and cross country coach at the Math and Science Academy (Woodbury, MN). During his tenure the girls cross country team won two consecutive TCAC conference titles while 16 individual athletes and one relay team made state appearances. Ten of those earned All-State distinctions, four of which earned individual state titles and one relay state title. One of the athletes received the 2017 Gatorade MN Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year Award, was a 2017 NXR Girls Heartland Region Winner/NXR National Participant, and a 2017 Girl’s Foot Locker Region Qualifier/Foot Locker National All-American.

A 2013 graduate of Hamline University, Ruter was a part of some of the strongest cross country teams in program history.  They won three consecutive MIAC titles and the teams made national appearances from 2009-2011. He was a key contributor on the 2011 team that participated in the national meet where the Pipers posted a 17th place team finish.  Over his career he garnered All-Conference, All-Region, and Academic All-American honors in cross country and track. He has received his USATF Level 1 coach certification, and certification from USTFCCCA as a strength and conditioning specialist.

Ruter earned his B.A. from Hamline University as Exercise Science and Psychology double majors.  He served as a co-captain of Hamline’s cross country team his senior year in addition to serving as the Vice-President of the Undergraduate Student Congress.  He received his MA.Ed. from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2016 studying Applied Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sport and Exercise Science.