Trinity Western University (TWU) men’s soccer fullback Jake Ruby is coming back for another year as a pro player with HFX Wanderers FC (Halifax) of the Canadian Premier League.
Ruby signed a one-year contract with a club option for 2022 and 2023 on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
MSOC | @TrinityWestern star defender Jake Ruby signs a professional contract with @HFXWanderersFC!
Congrats Jake!#SpartansTogether x #TWUSoccer
🔗https://t.co/9o4ylRqnF9 pic.twitter.com/T0NG08uJz1
— TWU Spartans (@TWUSpartans) February 17, 2021
The 20-year-old appeared in eight games for the Canadian Premier League team on a development contract at last year’s Island Games in Charlottetown.
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Stephen Hart, head coach and general manager of the HFX Wanderers, said Ruby “demonstrated maturity beyond his age during a very challenging pre season. He was not only committed to learning and developing his game, but showed the competitive edge you need in our sport.”
Ruby said signing on with Trinity Western, “my goal was always to play professionally, so I was hoping it would open opportunities for me and that it would be a stepping stone to the professional pathway.”
As a first-year defender with the TWU Spartans in 2019, Ruby started all 16 regular season games and one playoff game, while scoring three goals and adding two assists, placing him fifth in team scoring.
His rookie success earned him a Canada West Second Team All-Star nod as well as a spot on both the Canada West All-Rookie Team and the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team.
Ruby, who grew up in North Vancouver, played youth soccer with Mountain United before joining the academy of Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2016.
He is now amongst a trio of Spartans who have earned professional deals in the CPL, alongside Joel Waterman (Cavalry FC), who is now with CF Montreal of Major League Soccer, and Elijah Adekugbe (Cavalry FC).
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Ruby is a former member of the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy and has represented Canada at the under-17 level, and appeared in USL League Two side TSS Rovers before joining the Wanderers.
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