Brady Rudrud, a 6-foot-3 senior guard from Eden Prairie (MN) High, recently committed to Minnesota as a walk-on.
Rudrud averaged 13.3 points per game as the Eagles finished 16-14. Rudrud scored in double figures in 19 games, including a season-high 30 points against Osseo in a 73-65 loss in the first round of the Class AAAA state tournament.
Gopher Hole caught up with Rudrud to learn the latest on his decision to walk-on at Minnesota.
Gopher Hole: You recently committed to Minnesota as a walk-on. What was the reason that you decided to make that decision?
Brady Rudrud: The mix of academics as well as basketball was the biggest thing for me. I think that the education at the “U” and all the support that is available to us as athletes is one of the biggest things for me personally and obviously. the Gophers are the hometown team. I have always grown up watching them, so being able to be a part of that in the coming years is big for me.
Gopher Hole: What other colleges were you hearing from?
Brady Rudrud: I had three Division II offers from Winona State, Concordia St. Paul and Minnesota State Moorhead and then I talked to St. Thomas a lot having previously committed. Columbia in the Ivy League, I talked to as well.
Gopher Hole: How hard was it to say no to St. Thomas, who you had committed to at one time and also saying no to three pretty good programs who had offered you scholarship money?
Brady Rudrud: It was a difficult process. I turned down the three Division II schools for St. Thomas and obviously switched that to the “U” and I am happy where I am at, obviously. Super excited about it. There was a lot of thought that went into each one of the decisions and I am happy with it.
Gopher Hole: When did you start hearing from Minnesota?
Brady Rudrud: Honestly, about a month ago, a month and a half ago. It was a relatively quick process just because of how late it was.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many Gopher games this year or have you seen much of them up close and personal?
Brady Rudrud: This year, not so much. The previous years, I went to a couple more, but this past year, I went to one.
Gopher Hole: I don’t know how much you got to see them, but they had a player that you played against in high school, Stephon Sharp, who ended up playing a lot at the end of the season as a walk-on because of player suspensions. Did you notice that?
Brady Rudrud: For sure. I watched them on TV a lot. I played against Stephon my sophomore year when he was at Hopkins and he was a senior, so I played against him a couple of times.
Gopher Hole: What have the Gophers coaches said to you about their expectations for you?
Brady Rudrud: Just to come in every day, work hard, which is what I am going to do. Get the starters or whoever will be playing, as prepared as possible. A chance to play the best I can. They think that I will mix in well with the incoming freshman, so I am just excited to get in there.
Gopher Hole: You know one of the incoming freshman pretty well, Amir Coffey, who plays in the same conference as you. You play Hopkins multiple times each year. How well do you know him off the court?
Brady Rudrud: Not too much off the court. I haven’t been with really at all in AAU tournament or anything like that. Pretty much only know him from playing against him.
Gopher Hole: What does it mean to have a chance to play for the hometown school?
Brady Rudrud: It is everything to me. I have always dreamt about it. I am super excited. It is the only one DI school in the state. It is just an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.
Gopher Hole: When did you commit to St. Thomas?
Brady Rudrud: I would have been after the national championship. Probably late March, I would want to say.
Gopher Hole: They had a great year and have a Eden Prairie kid Grant Shaeffer on the roster. Do you know him?
Brady Rudrud: Yes. I know Grant pretty well. He was a senior at Eden Prairie when I was a freshman and I got to play varsity my freshman year. We know each other pretty well, going to the same school and whatnot.
Gopher Hole: St. Thomas has had a ton of success, winning the national title and many other good years. Was it hard saying no to that opportunity or was just the possibility of playing D1 just too much?
Brady Rudrud: Yes, it was definitely hard to say no. The relationship with the coaches was great. I love (St. Thomas head coach John) Tauer. He is a great guy as well as all the assistants. The culture there is tremendous, but the opportunity that the “U” presents was just too much to pass up.
Gopher Hole: When are you planning on enrolling? Are you going to summer school?
Brady Rudrud: Yes. The move-in date is the 11th of June and we started classes and workouts on the 13th of June.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, what playing time you get is going to based on how hard you work, but what would it mean to get out on the court for a Big Ten school?
Brady Rudrud: That is the obvious and ultimate goal, so being able to do that would show that the hard work has paid off.
Gopher Hole: You were hearing from some good academic schools and you mention one of the things that you liked about Minnesota was its academics. Have you thought much about a possible major?
Brady Rudrud: For sure, a business major. I did not get into Carlson (School of Management), however, so I am looking to transfer into there after the first year.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota has a great reputation, not only the Carlson school, but in business and there are a lot of Fortune 500 companies in the Twin Cities. Is that something that was also appeal, too?
Brady Rudrud: Yes. That was a big part of the reason why I wanted to stay in the Cities, which was a part of why I committed to St. Thomas. Just being around and the network that you can build here at the “U” is huge for me,