Mikaela Ruef
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_54.jpg) Ruef with Toulouse Métropole Basket in 2017 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 October 1990 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Australian |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Beavercreek (Beavercreek, Ohio) |
| College | Stanford (2009–2014) |
| WNBA draft | 2014: 3rd round, 31st overall pick |
| Drafted by | Seattle Storm |
| Playing career | 2014–present |
| Position | Forward |
| Career history | |
| 2014–2015 | Sydney Uni Flames |
| 2015–2016 | Launceston Tornadoes |
| 2015–2016 | Adelaide Lightning |
| 2016–2017 | Canberra Capitals |
| 2017 | Hobart Chargers |
| 2017–2018 | Toulouse Métropole Basket |
| 2019–2023 | Logan Thunder |
| 2020 | Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud |
| 2020 | Canberra Capitals |
| 2021 | Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud |
| 2021–2022 | Canberra Capitals |
| 2022–2024 | Townsville Fire |
| 2024 | North Gold Coast Seahawks |
| 2024–2025 | Sydney Flames |
| 2025 | Cairns Dolphins |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Mikaela Ruef (born 20 October 1990[1][2][3][4][5]) is an American-Australian professional basketball player. She played in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) between 2014 and 2025.
Ruef was born in Dayton, Ohio.[6] She attended Beavercreek High School in Beavercreek, Ohio.[6]
College career
Ruef played five years of college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal. She was part of Stanford's 2009–10 NCAA runner-up team as a freshman. In 2011–12, she appeared in three games before missing the rest of the season due to a foot injury. As a redshirt senior in 2013–14, she was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention.[6]
Professional career
WNBL and France
Ruef made her professional debut with the Sydney Uni Flames of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in Australia during the 2014–15 season.[7] She joined the Adelaide Lightning for the 2015–16 WNBL season,[8] and the Canberra Capitals for the 2016–17 WNBL season.[9][10]
For the 2017–18 season, Ruef played for Toulouse Métropole Basket in the French LF2. In 24 games, she averaged 17.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game.[7]
After not playing in 2018–19,[7] Ruef joined the Capitals for the 2019–20 WNBL season, but was unable to play due to immigration delays and awaiting permanent residency.[11] On 25 January 2020, after leaving Australia,[11] Ruef had a one-game stint with Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud of the LFB.[7]
Ruef re-joined the Capitals for the 2020 WNBL Hub season in Queensland, playing 14 games.[7] In January 2021, she re-joined Charnay for the rest of the 2020–21 season.[7]
Ruef re-joined the Capitals for the 2021–22 WNBL season.[7]
With the Townsville Fire during the 2022–23 WNBL season, she helped the team win the WNBL championship.[12] She returned to the Fire for the 2023–24 WNBL season.[12]
Ruef joined the Sydney Flames for the 2024–25 WNBL season. She played seven games to start the season[7] but then missed the rest of the season due to injury.[13]
Australian state leagues
In 2015, Ruef played for the Launceston Tornadoes of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). She was All-SEABL Team and SEABL Defensive Player of the Year.[14] In 23 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 15.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.[15] She returned to the Tornadoes for the 2016 season,[7] averaging 16.0 points, 16.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 25 games.[15] With the Hobart Chargers in the 2017 SEABL season, she averaged 15.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 11 games.[15]
Ruef joined the Logan Thunder of the Queensland Basketball League (QBL) for the 2019 season.[7] She was named QBL Most Valuable Player and QBL All-League Team.[16][17] In 2020, she played for the Thunder in the Queensland State League (QSL),[18] where she led the team to the QSL championship.[19] She played for the Thunder, now in the NBL1 North, in the 2021 NBL1 season.[7] She helped the Thunder win the 2021 NBL1 North championship.[20]
With the Thunder in the 2022 NBL1 season, Ruef averaged 20.1 rebounds per game and had three triple-doubles.[7] She scored 50 points on 17 July.[21] With the Thunder in the 2023 NBL1 season, Ruef averaged 22.6 rebounds per game. She had 13 games recording 20 rebounds or more,[7] including a 35-rebound game.[22] She recorded one triple-double for the season.[7]
With the North Gold Coast Seahawks in the NBL1 North in the 2024 NBL1 season,[23] Ruef averaged 21.3 rebounds per game. She had 11 games recording 20 rebounds or more,[7] including a 33-rebound game.[24] She recorded three triple-double for the season.[7]
Ruef had a two-game stint with the Cairns Dolphins in the 2025 NBL1 North season.[7]
