Versatile Ruiz gets GSAC academic nod

ECS staff report

SANTEE – The high school cross country season may just be starting, but for many smaller California colleges, postseason awards are being handed out, including five to members of the San Diego Christian College squads.

Included are two from the men’s team — featuring West Hills High alum Kyle Ruiz — plus a trio from the women’s squad. Each was honored for carrying a minimum 3.50 grade-point average to be placed on the all-Golden State Athletic Conference roster.

Ruiz, who once served as a good reserve player for the Grossmont College men’s basketball team, is a senior majoring in Kinesiology. He is joined by teammate David Gastelum, a junior studying aviation.

Ruiz also played basketball as a member of the Wolf Pack.

GSAC Scholar-Athlete award winners from the San Diego Christian women’s cross country team include Ruth Aguilar, Colleen Murphy and Michelle Morgan. All three are seniors.

Like Ruiz, all Aguilar is majoring in Kinesiology. She is a transfer from Imperial Valley College.

Murphy and Morgan are on target to graduate in Aviation.  Murphy came to the Hawks via Fallbrook High and MiraCosta College; Morgan hails from Irvine and went to Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.