Glendale Raptors & Mika Kruse

The Glendale Raptors initially signed Mika Kruse to their Glendale Merlins Academy team in 2017. He moved up rapidly and was added to the Raptors side in 2018 playing center and wing.

The 20-year-old, 6’1″, 210-pound athlete also played in August against the USA Rugby Collegiate All-Americans. His talent was recognized and he was included in the USA Rugby Selects squad for the Americas Pacific Challenge. That led to his inclusion on the Eagles training squad for the November 2018 tests. He was selected to the 23 man squad against the Maori All Blacks and entered the match as a reserve.

Kruse is from Fresno, California and attended Bullard High School, where he played rugby for five years beginning in 2010. The Fresno Bee noted that “The all-around athlete grew up playing football, basketball, and track, but by age 12 discovered that rugby was his passion.”

In 2014 Kruse was named to the Northern California All-Star team. He also was a USA High School All-American at flyhalf and participated in the Under-17s tour to Europe.