Tristan (Austin) Ruiz wasn’t in the gym when Napa High School’s volleyball team took part in summer workouts in the early ’90s. Ruiz wasn’t even in town.

She was playing on high-level travel softball teams, going from tournament to tournament in June, July and August.

But when she reported to the first day of volleyball practice for her junior year in 1991, Ruiz was ready to go as the Indians’ setter

“She was probably in better shape than any other athlete that appeared in the gym that day,” said Barb Franco, Ruiz’s coach at the time who is now in her eighth year as the school’s principal.

“There was no question about the immediate impact that Tristan was going to have on the quality of play and the success of the volleyball team at Napa High when she was a sophomore.”

Ruiz was not only a standout in volleyball, leading the Indians to their first CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship and into the Northern California finals as a senior, but also in basketball, as she averaged 13.6 points per game as a point guard her last year.

Along the way, she won 10 varsity letters and earned All-Monticello Empire League honors seven times as one the top three-sport athletes to play for Napa High.

“It’s with a lot of pleasure and thanks to her parents that we had the privilege of sharing in this young athlete’s abilities,” said Keith Orr, Ruiz’s basketball coach.

On Saturday night, Ruiz was inducted into the Napa High Athletic Hall of Fame during a dinner and awards program at Embassy Suites Hotel. The purpose of the NHS Athletic HOF Foundation is to honor the school and its athletics department by recognizing the achievements of former athletes, coaches and others who have made significant contributions school athletic programs.

“She represents the qualities that are exemplified in all of our athletes,“ said Orr, Ruiz’s presenter and a former NHS football and track coach. “Her good attitude, her great abilities, her constant work and so on set her aside and quickly attracted the coaching staff at Napa High.

“It wasn’t very long before they knew who Tristan Austin was. She quickly made an impression on people and coaches and teachers, and did a good job in all of her activities.”

Ruiz, this year’s lone inductee, was welcomed into the Hall of Fame by the Foundation’s board of directors, HOF members, family and friends during the 13th annual program.

Also honored were J’anna Wagoner and Ben Ballantine, scholar-athletes from the Class of 2009 who were each the recipient of $2,500 scholarships. Wagoner begins her freshman year at UC Davis this week and will play softball for the Aggies. Ballantine is at the University of Michigan and will play baseball for the Wolverines.

“I continue to be amazed at what our teachers do, what our coaches accomplish,” said Franco. “ I’m very proud of all of our coaches and the work that they do.”

Ruiz went on to play major-college softball on a scholarship at University of the Pacific for four years, but her days at Napa High are not forgotten. She joins a Hall of Fame made up of athletes, coaches and special category inductees.

“I felt very honored to have her play for me. She always was ready to play,” said Franco. “We were starting to get recognized at Napa High with our volleyball and Tristan set an extremely high bar for us with her performance. It was a very exciting time for us.”

The Indians won Monticello Empire League championships with Ruiz during her junior and senior years. They were also second in the Sac-Joaquin playoffs when she was a junior.

“The thing about her was that she was a constant competitor,” said Orr. “You would never expect her to go out and give you 30, 40, 50 percent. It was 100 percent all the time from the time the game started until it was over.”

Ruiz played three years of varsity basketball for the Indians.

“She was a good learner, she followed directions,” said Orr. “It’s the contribution that she made to the rest of the players that helped us.”

Softball was Ruiz’s top sport, as she started for four years on the varsity, playing in the outfield as a freshman, then moving to the infield for her last three seasons, and making the All-League team each year. She was also a team captain and batted .520 her junior year.

“I loved playing all three sports. It was my break from softball to play volleyball and then to go to basketball,” said Ruiz.

She was a Cal-Hi Sports All-State selection as a senior.

She also developed life skills as a high school athlete.

“For me, all of that structure and all of the life lessons learned from being at Napa High and playing for these particular coaches, who were very strict, it was great, because it made me who I am today, made me the person I am today, and helped prepare me for college.

Ruiz’s talents earned her a softball ride to UOP, where she continued to excel, starting at second base as a freshman and moving to shortstop for the remaining three years. As a senior, she was team captain, MVP, and the only Tiger to start each of Pacific’s 55 games throughout the year.

E-mail Executive Sports Editor Marty James at mjames@napanews.com or call 256-2223.