The 22-year-old defender returned to the court in Round Seven of the 2026 season after a year on the sidelines with an Achilles injury.
Ruth said she did not expect the award, and had to call her older sister Sunday to ask what the email inviting her to the Netball Australia Awards meant.
“I was so shocked, so I called Sunday and she told me I was most likely winning an award, then I found out in the moment I won,” she said.
It may have been Ruth’s second year as part of the contracted 10, but an Achilles injury unfortunately ruled her out after just the second round of the 2025 season.
Her exceptional performance upon her return to the court this year put her in the running for the prestigious award which she took out ahead of Casey Adamson from the Giants and Swift Nicola Barge.
“It was a year I didn’t expect,” she said.
“Lots of mixed emotions, I came in halfway through the year and I just wanted to play netball with no outcome of any awards or anything.
“I was mostly just really proud of myself.”
The awards night is made up of the Australian Diamond Squad and nominees. Ruth attended alongside her sister and teammate Sunday Aryang, and Alice Teague-Neeld.
Fellow defensive teammate Fran Williams was also named in the Team of the Year.
“I had never been to a Netball Australia Awards night,” Ruth said.
“It was cool to mingle with the Diamonds girls and a really cool experience as someone coming for the first time.”
