Ruiz stays purple, signs with Hardin-Simmons 

Savannah Ruiz wanted to make sure the timing was right when she signed to make her college soccer commitment.

Tuesday was as good as any as the McAllen High standout and The Monitor’s Utility Player of the Year last season, signed with Hardin-Simmons University during a celebration at the McHi gym.

One things’s for certain:the Ruiz family will still be cheering for the purple and gold, just now it will be for the Cowgirls instead of the Bulldogs.

Ruiz, the single-season and career record holder for assists, still has this year to add on to those numbers and she said she wanted to get the decision and signing done before the season began.

“I didn’t want to have to worry about where I was going and those decisions,” said Ruiz, whose vision on the pitch and ability to perfectly pinpoint a pass has been a key ingredient in the Bulldogs fast transition game. “I had been sitting on their offer for me and wanted to make sure it was the right time.”

Hardin-Simmons plays in the NCAA Div. III American Southwest and the Cowgirls compiled a 17-2-3 record this past season, winning the conference tournament and the first two matches of the NCAA tournament before falling to California Lutheran University in the Sweet 16.

“This makes me want to try different things in the game more, knowing I have more years to play,” Ruiz said. “This just seemed to fall this way. I had a couple of schools I was going between but coach (Patrick) Shelby and one of my trainers went there and they have been watching me for years so it’s good to be done.”

Ruiz will step forward in her leadership role this year, she said and will be working more to help the Bulldogs in their quest for another district title.

“I’ve been more offensively aggressive in games and looking around the field a lot more,” she said. “Coach said the expectations would be there and he wants me to be a leader.”