March 28, 2016 FAIRFAX, Va. - Two San Diego State student-athletes have been named 2016 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Semi-Finalists, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine announced. Paul Pitts III, a senior on the football team, and Natilee Ruiz, a senior on the swimming and diving team, are two of 30 semifinalists selected from a group of more than 1,000 nominees.
The male and female winners of the award will be profiled in the April 21, 2016 issue of Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.
The award recognizes student-athletes who have excelled in the classroom, on the athletic field and demonstrated a record of service to the campus or the community. In order to be recognized, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher through the fall of 2015, completed one full academic year at the nominating institution, be enrolled for the fall term of the academic year being nominated, be an active member of an intercollegiate athletic team during the 2015-16 year and have a record of campus or community service.
This is the second Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars recognition for Pitts III, who was honored for the 2014-15 school year. The 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Idaho Sports Medicine Institute Humanitarian Award winner was a 2014-15 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete and named to the Fall 2015 Mountain West All-Academic Team as a religious studies major. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. native played in 18 games over his Aztec career with two catches for 23 yards (11.5 avg.) including snaps in 11 of the team's 14 games in 2015.
Also a 2014-15 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars honoree, Ruiz was a three-time all-Mountain West honoree in six events during her time in the Scarlet and Black. She is also a three-time Mountain West Scholar-Athlete and Mountain West All-Academic Team honoree majoring in child and family development. A native of Othello, Wash., Ruiz helped San Diego State to two Mountain West championships during her time on Montezuma Mesa and a 2013-14 College Swimming.com/Endless Pools Mid-Major Swimming title.