Clinton-Massie senior Eli Ruther has officially signed with Thomas More University to continue his academic and athletic career as a member of the Saints Men’s Lacrosse program. Surrounded by family, friends, teammates, and coaches, Eli celebrated the milestone alongside his parents, David and Tonja Ruther, as well as his brother Micah. A four-year member of the Clinton-Massie Lacrosse program, Ruther has played an important role in the growth and success of Falcon lacrosse as a Defensive Long Stick Middie. His career has mirrored the rise of the program itself, helping build Clinton-Massie Lacrosse from its early years into one of the top teams in the conference. Ruther’s freshman season marked the first official year Clinton-Massie Lacrosse became a school-sponsored varsity sport. Since then, the Falcons have made tremendous progress each season: Freshman Year: 3-9 Sophomore Year: 11-5 Junior Year: 11-4 Senior Year: 11-2 and undefeated in conference play Throughout that journey, Ruther has helped establish a strong foundation for the future of Clinton-Massie Lacrosse and has been part of one of the most successful stretches in program history. When reflecting on his time at Clinton-Massie, Ruther said some of his greatest memories came from his coaches’ pregame speeches, moments that helped motivate and unite the team before competition. He also shared advice for younger players in the program: “Always put in your best effort, even if it takes a long time to produce. It will be worth it in the end.” Thomas More University is a private Catholic university located in Northern Kentucky and competes at the NCAA Division II level as a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Thomas More men’s lacrosse program continues to grow competitively while emphasizing academic success, leadership, and player development. Known as the Saints, Thomas More offers student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a high collegiate level while receiving a strong academic experience in a close-knit campus community. Clinton-Massie Athletics congratulates Eli on this outstanding accomplishment and wishes him continued success both academically and athletically as he begins his collegiate journey at Thomas More University.