{{short description|American soccer player (born 1996)}} {{Primary sources|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jake Rufe | image = | caption = Jake Rufe with Birmingham Legion in August 2023 | fullname = Jacob Rufe | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|1|22}} | birth_place = Huntsville, Alabama, United States | height = 186 cm | position = Defender, Midfielder | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | collegeyears1 = 2014–2015 | college1 = Indiana Hoosiers | collegecaps1 = 0 | collegegoals1 = 0 | collegeyears2 = 2016–2018 | college2 = Western Michigan Broncos | collegecaps2 = 55 | collegegoals2 = 2 | years1 = 2016–2017 | clubs1 = AFC Ann Arbor | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2018 | clubs2 = Michigan Bucks | caps2 = 9 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2019 | clubs3 = AFC Ann Arbor | caps3 = 12 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2019 | clubs4 = Stumptown Athletic | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2020–2025 | clubs5 = Birmingham Legion | caps5 = 119 | goals5 = 3 |nationalyears1 = |nationalteam1 = |nationalcaps1 = |nationalgoals1 = | club-update = October 25, 2025 }}
'''Jacob Rufe''' (born January 22, 1996) is an American soccer player who most recently played as a defender for Birmingham Legion FC.
==Career== ===College and amateur=== Rufe began playing college soccer at Indiana University in 2014, but didn't make an appearances for the Hoosiers during his two seasons due to injury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iuhoosiers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3319|title=Jake Rufe - Men's Soccer|website=Indiana University Athletics}}</ref> In 2016, Rufe transferred to Western Michigan University, where he played for three seasons, scoring 2 goals and tallying 4 assists in 55 appearances.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wmubroncos.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6205|title=Jake Rufe - Men's Soccer|website=Western Michigan University Athletics}}</ref>
During college, Rufe also played with NPSL side AFC Ann Arbor in both 2016 and 2017.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.afcannarbor.com/latestnews/2019/2/22/jake-rufe-returns-for-third-season-with-afcaa|title=Jake Rufe Returns for Third Season with AFCAA|website=AFC Ann Arbor|date=22 February 2019 }}</ref> In 2018, Rufe played in the USL PDL with Michigan Bucks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/24762880|title=Flint City Bucks - 2018 Regular Season - Roster - # - Jacob Rufe -|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com}}</ref>
After college, Rufe returned to play with AFC Ann Arbor during their 2019 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afcannarbor.com/2019-mens-roster|title=2019 Men's Roster|website=AFC Ann Arbor}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>
===Professional=== In September 2019, Rufe signed for NISA side Stumptown Athletic ahead of the league's inaugural season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stumptownathletic.com/roster/jake-rufe|title=First Team | Stumptown Athletic|website=stumptownathletic.com|access-date=2019-11-01|archive-date=2019-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923001542/https://stumptownathletic.com/roster/jake-rufe|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In May 2020, Rufe moved to USL Championship side Birmingham Legion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chatsports.com/western-michigan-broncos/a/source/former-bronco-standout-jake-rufe-joins-legion-fc-15953165|title = Former Bronco Standout Jake Rufe Joins Legion FC|date = 11 May 2020}}</ref> He was released by Birmingham following their 2025 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bhmlegion.com/news/2025/12/17/birmingham-legion-fc-confirms-eight-players-to-return-for-2026-season/|title=Birmingham Legion FC Confirms Eight Players to Return for 2026 Season.}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://iuhoosiers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3319 Profile at Indiana University Athletics] * [https://wmubroncos.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6205 Profile at Western Michigan University Athletics] * [https://stumptownathletic.com/roster/jake-rufe Stumptown Athletic profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923001542/https://stumptownathletic.com/roster/jake-rufe |date=2019-09-23 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rufe, Jake}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:American men's soccer players Category:Soccer players from Alabama Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer players Category:Western Michigan Broncos men's soccer players Category:AFC Ann Arbor players Category:Flint City Bucks players Category:Stumptown AC players Category:Birmingham Legion FC players Category:National Premier Soccer League players Category:USL League Two players Category:National Independent Soccer Association players Category:Sportspeople from Huntsville, Alabama Category:USL Championship players Category:21st-century American sportsmen