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Dionne Ruiz signs her NLI while her parents (standing) and SMHS Athletic Director Melissa Joliat (seated) look on.
San Manuel senior Dionne Ruiz recently signed her National Letter of Intent to play softball next fall at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix. The Cougars are members of the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC).
Ruiz, who was recruited to play third base, chose SMCC in part for its proximity and a comfort level she felt at the school.
“I just found the school was the best fit for me,” Ruiz recently told the Miner. “I really liked the coaching staff and the girls were really good to me.”
With an eye toward a career in Sports Medicine, Ruiz will focus on her general studies and prerequisites during her time at SMCC.
As a junior on, Ruiz led the Lady Miners or was tied for the team lead in five offensive categories, including batting average (.567), hits (55), RBI (40), doubles (13) and home runs (6). She finished second in runs (43) and triples (4).
That success helped her achieve a life-long dream.
“It’s been my dream since I was little,” Ruiz said about playing college softball. “When I started playing in Tucson I became interested in (playing in college). I always looked to some of my (former) teammates that were already playing college ball.”
Dionne’s family witnessed her hard work and dedication. They believed she would be rewarded for making some difficult sacrifices.
“She knew what she wanted,” said Tanya Ruiz, Dionne’s mother. “She wanted to continue to play softball after high school. She had to sacrifice a lot of family gatherings and doing things with her friends.”
“Her dad and I, and her brother and sister, are beyond excited,” Tanya added. “It’s just a feeling that’s amazing; knowing that’s she’s accomplished this.”
The potential Player of the Year candidate credited a pair of Lady Miners’ coaches for driving her to be the best she could be.
“Coach (Brewer) and Coach (Navarro) both pushed me to be the player I am,” Ruiz said. “They pushed me past my limits and never let me give up. They always believed in me no matter what and they were always there to support me.”
Dionne admitted the recruiting process has been stressful and she feels a sense of relief now that it’s over. She’s looking forward to a stress-free senior season.
“Trying to decide where I wanted to go to school had me stressing out during the last two summers,” she said. “I’m glad that I have it off my shoulders and now I can just go out and enjoy me senior season, knowing that I’m going to play at the next level.”
Congratulations, Dionne. We know you’ll do well.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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