Wayne State University Men's Cross Country

Ruff enters his second season as the head coach for the men's and women's cross country teams as well as the women's track & field programs after being hired in August of 2015. "We had an impressive list of candidates and an extensive interview schedule," said Director of Athletics Rob Fournier. "What made Rondell's candidacy so consequential was his connection to Detroit and the City's school system, his leadership success at Michigan and his proven recruiting success. I look forward to working with Rondell to further advance our program." Before WSU, Ruff served as the assistant track and field coach at Army for the last four seasons (2011-15). Ruff primarily worked with sprints, middle-distance groups and the relay teams. His first year at Army brought numerous successes, highlighted by records and Patriot League event titles. Ruff guided the women's outdoor 4x800m relay squad to shatter the Academy record set in 1985. On the men's side, three relay teams claimed conference championships titles. The successes continued under Ruff in 2012-13 as his cadet-athletes garnered nine more event titles in the indoor and outdoor Patriot League Championships. Four out of the nine came from the 4x400-meter relay teams. In 2013, he mentored Clyde Wilson to a First Round NCAA Championship bid in the 800m run which was the first time since 2011 Army had a middle-distance runner at a national meet. Ruff guided Wilson back again to the National Championships in the 800m in 2014. In Ruff's third season, his athletes posted two indoor school records in the men's 60m and men's 200m. His men's squad was victorious at the conference championships, claiming five event titles. Prior to his arrival at West Point, N.Y., Ruff spent two years (2009-11) as a graduate assistant at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pa. He coached the jumps, sprints and relays for the Red Flash. In 2011, Ruff's women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams earned its best finishes since 2005 (indoor) and 2003 (outdoor) at the Northeast Conference Championships. Under his leadership, the Red Flash women's squad broke six school records. Ruff, a 2006 graduate of the University of Michigan, competed on the cross country and track teams for the Wolverines (2002-2006). The Detroit native served as captain for both squads in 2005-06. A former walk-on, Ruff won two Big Ten indoor distance medley relay titles (2002, 2005) before clinching the Indoor National Championship title in 2005, where he ran 2:56.3 in the opening 1200m leg. He received All-America accolades in the DM under coach Ron Warhurst as the quartet became the third relay team to join the list of NCAA Champions in Michigan's history. Ten years after his senior season, Ruff is still listed in the Wolverine record book. The distance medley relay team from 2005 continues to hold second place (9:28.12), while he is seventh in the 800m run (2005) with a time of 1:50.41. Throughout his career, Ruff placed in the top-10 at four Big Ten Indoor Championships and two outdoor championships, including a first-place finish in the distance medley relay during his freshman year. After graduation, he returned to Ann Arbor to serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the cross country and track and field teams in 2008-09. He has worked at Michigan's track and field camps. Prior to his time as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Ruff spent the 2007 season as the head coach at Henry Ford High School in Detroit.