Max Ruhl was hired as the Missouri Baptist University Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach on Aug. 13, 2020. He became the fourth head coach in program history.
In his time at MBU, Ruhl has taken MBU to the NAIA National Tournament three times and became the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champions in 2023 and 2024. In his first year at Missouri Baptist, Ruhl led the team to the KCAC Conference Championship Semi-Finals. MBU also made the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Academic Merit Squad twice (2021 & 2022).
Throughout his time at MBU, Ruhl has produced 11 NAIA All-Americans, 16 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll students, 27 KCAC and 8 HAAC All-Conference Players, 20 NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, three KCAC Defensive Players of the Year, and two KCAC Players of the Year. He was also honored to be named KCAC Coach of the Year two years in a row in 2022 and 2023.
A graduate of NCAA DII Ohio Valley University, a private, Christian college in Vienna, West Virginia, Ruhl was a member of OVU’s first-ever men’s lacrosse team and later returned to the university as the inaugural head women’s lacrosse coach in 2015.
Leading the brand-new program to its most successful season in school history, Ruhl was the recipient of Ohio Valley University Athletics’ Coach of the Year Award in 2018-19. His 2019 squad led the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in draw controls per game (15.80), while individually, the Fighting Scots boasted the conference leader in caused turnovers, ground balls and draw controls/game and had a trio of players rank in the league’s Top 10 in goals per game. During his time with the Scots, Ruhl led three individuals to the all-conference team, five to the academic all-conference team and the team was named an IWLCA Academic Honor Squad in 2018. Ruhl also participated on the IWLCA Top 25 and NCAA DII Top 20 Coaches’ Polls.
While at Ohio Valley, Ruhl also bolstered his resume in higher education spending nearly two years as Associate Director of Admissions, two years as an adjunct professor and two more as Director of Sports Management.
Following the 5+ years at his alma mater, Ruhl spent 2019-20 as head women’s lacrosse coach at NCAA DIII Gordon College, a nationally-ranked, Christian, liberal arts institution in Wenham, Massachusetts. While at Gordon, Ruhl had 11 individuals selected to the Academic All-CCC list. He also coached with the REV Lacrosse Club out of the greater Boston area. REV is nationally known for producing strong and confident, young women, as well as producing some of New England’s premier tournaments and showcases.
Other related work experience for Ruhl includes serving as a strength and conditioning graduate assistant at Frostburg State University and assistant coach for Ohio University’s Division I men’s lacrosse club team, where he got his start in coaching.
Ruhl graduated from Ohio Valley University with his B.A. in Wellness and Health Sciences in 2011 and proceeded to pursue a pair of master’s degrees. He graduated with a Master’s in Recreation and Sport Science from Ohio University in 2012 and worked towards his MBA at Frostburg State.
| Max Ruhl Coaching Record |
|
|
|
|
W |
L |
T |
| Record at Ohio Valley |
8 |
25 |
|
| 2021 |
10 |
3 |
|
| 2022 |
10 |
4 |
|
| 2023 |
11 |
5 |
|
| 2024 |
15 |
3 |
|
| 2025 |
13 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
Win % |
| Missouri Baptist University |
59 |
22 |
.728 |
| Career |
67 |
47 |
.588 |
