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A standout cross country runner while competing for Central State University throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Josh Ruga is widely acknowledged as one of the top distance runners to ever compete in the maroon and gold.
A product of Vineland High School in New Jersey, Ruga established himself as a top scholastic runner by winning two New Jersey individual cross country state titles. After graduation, Ruga was recruited by CSU Hall of Fame administrator and coach Gaston "Country" Lewis.
At CSU, Ruga helped the Marauder cross country program quickly become a perennial national powerhouse. Ruga earned NCAA Small College All-American honors in 1959 and 1960. He was part of CSU's 1960 run to its first national title in school history as the Marauders placed five runners in the top ten of the national championship race. The presence of a high profile runner like Ruga at CSU assisted the coaching staff to recruit top talent leading to another NCAA cross country national title in 1962.
Following graduation from Central State University, Ruga went on to teach in the New Jersey public school system for 40+ years.
Ruga currently resides in Dororthy, New Jersey.
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