ST. LOUIS - Junior Christa Ruf of the Creighton softball team has been named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team as voted on by league Sports Information Directors and released by the MVC.  The Omaha native carries a 3.90 cumulative grade point average as a nursing major and just finished a career-year as the Bluejays' starting center fielder.

Ruf, who ended the season by being named to the MVC All-Tournament Team, hit a career-high .257, with career-bests in home runs (9), RBI (32), hits (39), runs scored (23) and stolen bases (6).  Entering her junior season, she had only one home run and 14 RBI in her first two seasons combined, before exploding to rank second on the team with nine home runs and 32 RBI this spring.  The Omaha Westside product started all 53 games for the Jays in center and has now started 88 straight games in center field.  She led the team with 13 two-out RBI.

She accounted for all four RBI in two of CU's 4-0 wins this season – against Northern Colorado on March 4 and at Evansville on March 20.  Ruf earned MVC Player of the Week honors following her performance at UE.

Ruf was one of 12 players on the scholar-athlete team.  In order to be eligible, student-athletes must have at 3.30 GPA or higher, be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing and meet certain playing requirements.