Mount Carmel’s Ralph Rudusans Commits to Lehigh after Breakout Postseason Performance

The 6-foot-7 Latvian forward helped lead Mount Carmel to its first MIAA A Conference and BCL titles and was named MVP of the championship game

Mount Carmel's Ralph Rudusans will play his college basketball in the Patriot League after committing to LeHigh University. / Ralph Rudusans

Our Lady of Mount Carmel senior forward Ralph Rudusans has given a verbal commitment to Lehigh University, in Bethleham, Pa., Cougars’ coach Tony Martin said on Friday.

Rudusans, a 6-foot-7 native of Latvia, averaged seven points, three rebounds and an assist last season for the Cougars, who won their first Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A Conference playoffs and Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) Tournament championships.

The Essex (Md.) private school capped the season with the No. 1 ranking in the final High School on SI Maryland Top 25 poll. It was the first time in school history that Mount Carmel finished the season with a No. 1 ranking in boys basketball, as the Cougars completed a rare sweep of the MIAA and BCL crowns.

Rudusans was instrumental in Mount Carmel’s postseason run

Rudusans emerged during the Cougars’ historic title run, coming off the bench to score a team-best 17 points in a 55-50 win over Saint Frances Academy in the MIAA A final at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC). Rudusans, who shot 8-of-12 from the field, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Colby Giacubeno, who covers DMV recruiting for 247Sports, said Rudusans “proved as a shot-maker from anywhere on the floor plus flashed ability off the bounce.”

Rudusans was the team’s most improved player last season

Rudusans was the recipient of the 2025 Dave Kropfelder Never, Never Quit Award at the Baltimore Catholic League awards luncheon last February. He was one of seven players recognized.

The award was named after Kropfelder, a former star athlete at Mount Saint Joseph and basketball referee who passed away from melanoma in 2003.

Before Mount Carmel

Prior coming to the United States to play his high school basketball at Mount Carmel, Rudusans played for the club team RBS DSN U19 (also referred to as DSN Riga) in the Latvian U19 League.

On the national-team front, Rudusans represented Latvia at the the 2023 FIBA U16 European Championships, where he averaged 12 points and 6.8 rebounds.

At the 2025 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he played in 7 games and averaged about 5.9 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Rudusans plans to join teammate in Patriot League

Rudsmans is the second Cougar to recently commit to a Patriot League program. Senior Tristen Wilson, a 6-3 combo guard, announced his pledge to Holy Cross late last month.

Wilson averaged 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals last season.