Coach John Tillman’s initial plan for Brian Ruppel was to have him redshirt the 2023 season.
But plans change.
Late in the fourth quarter in Maryland men’s lacrosse’s second game of the season against No. 13 Loyola, star goalkeeper Logan McNaney went down with a lower-body injury.
Tillman turned to Binghamton transfer Teddy Dolan to replace the senior in the cage for the Terps’ next game against Syracuse. But Dolan struggled, as the graduate student saved just 42.8 percent of the Orange’s shots.
Then, in comes Ruppel.
Tillman turned to the true freshman against No. 17 Princeton, and he excelled in his collegiate debut. Ruppel made 14 saves and held the Tigers to just five goals. Despite learning he would start just that morning, the short notice and big stage did not faze Ruppel.
“I think it all starts with my defense,” Ruppel said. “Those guys always tell me every game that they have my back and I have their back. Our scout team gives us a good look every week, I can’t thank those guys enough for helping me settle in and [just] seeing a lot of shots in practice.”
Ruppel has started in every game since the Princeton win as he impressed the coaching staff and his teammates. He made a name for himself with multiple clutch saves in Maryland’s overtime games against top-five opponents Notre Dame and Virginia.
Ruppel particularly impressed against the Cavaliers, making three saves in seven seconds before junior attacker Daniel Kelly scored the game-winning goal seconds later.
“I saw the first shot and we tried to clear it,” Ruppel said, “then I saw them come back down again. I didn’t even see Brett [Makar]. I think watching the film again I saw him coming across. It was pretty awesome to see him fly his body around like that but then trying to make the save as best as possible. Luckily I was able to get there and get a piece of it.”
The clip immediately went viral all over social media, garnering tens of thousands of views, putting the true freshman in the spotlight.
“We teased him a little bit because he was all over social media last week and that’s not him,” Tillman said. “He doesn’t look to seek attention. He’s a pretty humble down to earth kid but we were giving him some grief and he handled it really well.”
But that was not the first time Ruppel showed his clutchness.
Ruppel made critical saves in the overtime periods against Notre Dame, showcasing his ability to step up when it matters most.
Ruppel recorded double-digit saves in his first four starts and five of six overall, and finished with 13 saves in Maryland’s most recent outing against Michigan. He has earned Big Ten Specialist of the Week honors twice and Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors once.
“He’s got that boyish face but inside him is an ultra competitive guy,” Tillman said. “And he kind of wants to be there in that big moment.”
A Catonsville, Maryland native, Ruppel attended high school just about 30 minutes away from College Park and went to many Maryland games as a fan before representing his state school.
“Just wearing Maryland across your chest has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid, Ruppel said. “Just playing for my brothers besides me and really the whole state of Maryland is an awesome experience.”
McNaney may leave the program after this season. If that’s the case, Maryland will be in good hands with Ruppel, who has established himself as a reliable goalkeeper in College Park for the next few seasons.
