FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History" continues with the 15th moment on the list: Kyle Ruwe becomes NSU's first NCAA All-American. 
NSU made an immediate impact in the NCAA Division II landscape when the Knights made the jump from NAIA in the 2002-03 academic year. However, no athlete made more of a splash than baseball starting ace Kyle Ruwe, who was only a sophomore when the Knights began NCAA competition. Prior to the 2003 baseball season, Ruwe was an All-American at neighboring Nova HS and an All-Florida Sun Conference pitcher as a NSU freshman.
 
Ruwe led the Sharks into the NCAA era with one of the greatest seasons in NSU baseball history. Ruwe pitched in 132 innings and made 17 starts, the most of any NSU pitcher in NCAA play. Ruwe posted an outstanding record of 13-2, leading all of NCAA DII in wins. Ruwe pitched in nine complete games, a mark only he has topped since, and struck out 107 batters. Only Mike Fiers of the Milwaukee Brewers' organization has surpassed the century mark in K's for NSU since.

"He's a winner, and you can't coach that," said head coach (and current Director of Athletics) Michael Mominey to Craig Barnes of the Sun-Sentinel. "He wants to pitch the big games, and he's proven he can handle it. Hitters talk about how his ball is there one second and gone the next."
 
The apex of the season came on March 16, 2003, when Ruwe pitched a perfect game against Eckerd. Although the game was called in the sixth-inning, Ruwe was perfect through 18 batters and struck out four Tritons. The perfect outing came in the middle of a 15-inning stretch in which Ruwe held opponents scoreless.
 
Ruwe would finish the year on a 10-game winning streak and receive numerous postseason awards. Not only was he named an All-American by Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association, but was also named Rawlings/ABCA South Region Pitcher of the Year.
 
Ruwe would go down as one of the most productive and dependable pitchers in NSU history. He ranks first in the career record books with 34 complete games and 489 innings pitched. Both records are possibly unbreakable just a decade later. No other NSU pitcher from 1993 on has crossed the 300 innings pitched mark. Ruwe finished his career with 34 wins, a mark nobody has come within 12 of since.

Check back with NSUSharks.com next Tuesday for the next #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History."

Moment No. 1: NSU Athletics is Born
Moment No. 2: Knights Chosen as School Mascot
Moment No. 3: Hansley Hired as Director of Athletics
Moment No. 4: Nova Adds Four Sports
Moment No. 5: Nova Joins NAIA
Moment No. 6: Nova Adds Three More Teams
Moment No. 7: Nova Helps Form FIAC
Moment No. 8: Nova Wins First Conference Championship
Moment No. 9: Baseball and Volleyball Win First Conference Titles
Moment No. 10: NSU Adds Softball
Moment No. 11: NSU Adds Women's Soccer and Wins FSC Tournament Championship
Moment No. 12: NSU Names Ray Ferrero Jr. as School's Fifth President
Moment No. 13: NSU Adds Women's Basketball and Wins Conference Title in First Season
Moment No. 14: NSU Jumps to NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference

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