Mason City, IA – The North Iowa Bulls are excited to welcome AJ Ruskowski to the bench as an Assistant Coach. The Traverse City, Michigan, native graduated from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota following the 2024-25 Cardinals’ season, which saw the 6’6″ goaltender be named a letter-wearing captain in between the pipes. He suited up for 62 games across four seasons in the Cardinals’ crease, during which he posted a career .902 save percentage. Ruskowski was named to the MIAC’s All-Academic team in both 2023 & 2024. Some of his college teammates included former Bulls like Jack Campion & Carter Newpower.
Prior to enrolling at Saint Mary’s, Ruskowski played three seasons of junior hockey. He debuted in 2019 for the NA3HL’s Bozeman Ice Dogs, helping the Ice Dogs reach the Fraser Cup Playoffs. The next season, a dominant four game stretch which saw his save percentage hit a .959 mark, resulted in a call-up to the NAHL’s Minot Minotauros. He laced up for 15 games the rest of that season, posting a .903 save percentage, a 7-3 record, and had helped the Minotauros into a postseason spot before the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic halted the 2020 Robertson Cup Playoffs. The next season, Ruskowski started the year with Minot before departing to play for the NCDC’s P.A.L Junior Islanders, where he posted a .904 save percentage in 15 games.
Following his last collegiate season, Ruskowski signed a contract to play professional hockey for the SPHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers. While in the Sunshine State, Ruskowski played 7 professional games, and posted a .918 save percentage, including a shutout against the Peoria Rivermen, the SPHL’s top team.
In his new role with the Bulls, Ruskowski will be on the bench for every Bulls game alongside Head Coach Nick Bruneteau. He will also help coach the NA3HL’s Mason City Toros goaltenders.