College Ruggeri competed for the
University of Illinois from 2008 to 2012. In 2008, Ruggeri was the NCAA national champion on
horizontal bar. In 2009, he repeated horizontal bar gold and added gold on
parallel bars. In February 2012, Ruggeri competed at the
2012 Winter Cup and won bronze on the floor. He was national champion on
vault and won silver on parallel bars; the Illini were also national team champions. In 2012 he was named the
Nissen Award winner, the gymnastics version of the
Heisman. Ruggeri had five years of college gymnastics because he
redshirted (cut short or skipped because of injury) his 2011 (senior) year. The cause was a torn peroneal (ankle) ligament at U.S. elite Winter Cup competition. Over the years, he won nine
All-American honors. At the 2011 Pan American Games, Ruggeri won gold on the horizontal bar and silver on parallel bars. In February 2013, Ruggeri competed at the
2013 Winter Cup, where he won silver on vault and horizontal bar. In April 2013, he participated in a
World Cup competition and won gold on vault and horizontal bar. In recognition, the United States Olympic Committee named him as their male athlete of the month. On February 6, 2014, he underwent surgery (meniscectomy) for a meniscus tear in the right knee. He was an alternate on the U.S. men's team to the 2014 world championships. In February 2015, Ruggeri won the
Winter Cup Challenge. In addition to placing first in the all-around competition, he placed first in vault and horizontal bar, and third on floor exercise. He has been named to the U.S. Gymnastics senior national team for 2015. On July 11, 2015, Ruggeri helped the U.S. Men's Gymnastics team to their first Gold medal in twenty years at the Pan-American Games. At the 2015 US Nationals, Ruggeri's notable finishes include placing 8th in the all-around, 5th on the floor, and winning a silver medal on the horizontal bar. He was then named to the 2015 World Championship Team that competed in Glasgow, Scotland where he placed 9th in Vault, and 5th as a team. This squad qualified the United States for the 2016 Olympic Games. Paul was on the scene for three Olympic quads, narrowly missing selection in 2012 and 2016. He came closest to selection in 2016 just after winning National Championships, (P&G Championships) on the horizontal bar, taking second on the vault, and third on the floor exercise. Ruggeri considers rings and pommel horse his weak events. He has vaulted a
Yurchenko entry to two different tricks: a half turn and double full off or (without turn) to 2-1/2 twists (
Shewfelt). His height is 5-8. ==Personal life==