Danae Ruiz, ERAU

After 17 games, Maricopan Danae Ruiz is again the leading scorer for the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University women’s basketball team.

Ruiz, a 2016 graduate of Maricopa High School, has compiled 224 points so far this season. She is averaging 13.2 points per game despite having limited playing time early in the season. She has also started every game.

Saturday, the Eagles ran over Pacific Union College 115-60, with Ruiz scoring a career-high 33 points. This season she also has 67 rebounds, 42 assists and 28 steals.

The team is 14-3 overall with nine games to play before the Cal Pac Conference Championship. This is the second year of competition for the Lady Eagles, for whom Ruiz was a founding member.

At Missouri Western State University, also an NCAA Division II school, freshman Sam Aviles was the primary kickoff specialist for the Griffons football team in 2017. In 11 games, he had 63 kickoffs for 3,631 yards, a 57.6 average, and 13 touchbacks.

Aviles was a Maricopa Ram in 2016. MWSU finished the season 4-7.