| U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan receives the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2026 ESPYS for rescuing 165 people during the flash floods in Texas in July 2025 (Video courtesy of ESPN). |
AST2 Scott Ruskan began his college athletic career as a walk-on, not a star. Now, he’s got one more ESPY than most athletes do.
In July 2026, the Rider University alumnus received the annual Pat Tillman Award for Service, whose namesake left a budding National Football League (NFL) career behind to join the Army in 2002 and was tragically killed in action in 2004. Created in 2014, the award honors Tillman’s legacy.
Ruskan was recognized for saving and assisting over 165 people in Texas following the devastating 2025 Central Texas Floods. You may watch his acceptance speech here.
MyCG caught up with Ruskan to talk about his night at the ESPYS. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
MyCG: Thanks so much for taking the time, AST2. Since the ESPYS are the Oscars of sports, I have to ask if you grew up a sports fan.
Ruskan: Yeah, definitely. I grew up in New Jersey, and I’m an Eagles and Phillies fan. I really love watching sports and played multiple sports from kindergarten through college.
MyCG: You ran track in college at Rider University. How did college athletics prepare you to be a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard?
Ruskan: Playing sports is one of the best ways to prepare yourself for being a rescue swimmer. Not everyone who is a rescue swimmer has a sports background, but it’s something a lot of us have in common.
To be a rescue swimmer, you need to be in good shape. But you also need to be able to give 100 percent effort at training that can be hard and tedious.
Beyond the physical aspect, you need to have mental strength, too. You need to be comfortable being uncomfortable and get used to failing at something and being willing to try again.
MyCG: You mentioned in your speech that your cross-country coach from Rider University was in attendance. Can you tell me about his impact on you?
Ruskan: I had my Coach Bob Hamer there with me—he’s super important to me.
I was not recruited on a scholarship to go to Rider; I was a walk-on. I wasn’t a standout runner, so he took a little bit of a chance on me.
Coach Bob developed me into the athlete and person I am today. Anyone who’s played college sports knows that your coach is your anchor point. They’re your mentor. Sometimes, they’re more impactful than your professors. You might see one professor twice a week, but I would see Coach Bob at practice every single day for two or three hours a day. So, it was awesome to have him there.
MyCG: In your speech, you mentioned the impact Pat Tillman had on you as a kid. How did you feel when you found out you’d won this award?
Ruskan: When the ESPYs organizers reached out to me and told me I might be nominated for the Pat Tillman Award, I was just grateful to be recognized. And when they called back and told me I won it, the first thing they asked me was whether I knew who Pat Tillman was.
I guess some people haven’t, and to me, that was mind-boggling. He enlisted in the military out of the NFL, left a contract on the table, had a great career ahead of him, and was a standout athlete. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, he felt the call to serve. And despite his fame, he wanted to be treated like a normal person in the Army. He gave his life for his country, and there’s nothing more honorable than that.
When I was a kid, I knew all about him. I’m from the East Coast. My uncle was a New York City firefighter and was working on 9/11. Before I joined the Coast Guard, I worked in New York City. So, it definitely hits close to home.
I can’t even believe that I’m associated with Tillman now. It’s an honor. I was able to meet his wife and some members of the Pat Tillman Foundation, and it was a great experience meeting them.
MyCG: I haven’t confirmed this officially, but I’m pretty sure you’re the first Coastie to go to the ESPYS. How does that feel?
Ruskan: It’s a huge honor. It’s a privilege to meet people like that. I got to meet Jason Kelce, which was a highlight for me as an Eagles fan.
And it was awesome to represent the Service—and the Armed Forces, in a way, because there were not many other military members there. Some of those athletes have family or friends in the military, but some of them have never talked to anyone in the military.
A lot of those athletes have done a lot for service members through programs and volunteer organizations. You feel their love and support. That was my big takeaway: they’re super appreciative and support our service. It makes it easier going to work knowing that the guy I’m watching play football on Sunday supports us. It’s cool to think in the back of your head, “Jason Kelce is rooting for us.”
-USCG-
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