Ringgold's Emily Schartner commits to NJIT

By Colin Dunlap ][ 6:22 p.m. Tuesday

Just got home from a long day at some area preseason football camps and was greeted by the following e-mail from Ringgold athletic director Llyod Price:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ringgold Guard Commits to Division I
New Jersey Institute of Technology
The New Jersey Institute of Technology received a verbal commitment for its 2009 recruiting class from Ringgold’s Emily Schartner, a guard who will be a senior for the Lady Rams in the fall. 
Schartner said, “ NJIT is a great fit for me.   I wanted to find a school with a strong academic reputation and one that competes at the mid D-I level.  I committed to NJIT after visiting the campus and meeting the coaches in June.  I felt really comfortable with the coaches, the academics, and the campus which is just a 15 minute train ride from NYC.  I am really excited and looking forward to becoming part of the NJIT Highlander’s Team and helping them continue to build a competitive Division I program.”
The 5’10” Schartner – is a three-year starter who this past season helped the Lady Rams win their first section title since 1995 - going 17-7 overall, and 9-1 in the section.  Schartner was a 1st team All-Conference selection and leading vote getter.  She was also named to the Fabulous 5 Team by the Post-Gazette Washington and All-District 1st Team by the Observer-Reporter

An athletic guard with a good scoring touch, Schartner averaged 15.2 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.  In 2006, as a sophomore, she averaged 11.8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists a game and helped the team reach the WPIAL and PIAA playoffs.

Emily has also played AAU basketball for the past seven years.  She played her last two seasons for the PA Swoosh coached by Tom Olesky of Greensburg, Pa.  During the 2008 summer season, Emily’s PA Swoosh team finished in the “Elite 8” at the prestigious NIKE Summer Showcase in Chicago and made the “Sweet 16” in the top division at the US Jr. Nationals (17 & Under) in Washington DC.

With her senior season still to play, Schartner has already scored 846 career points.  Schartner, of Finleyville, is also a three time letter winner in soccer and carries a 4.0 GPA.  Emily is currently considering majoring in either Science, Technology & Society(STS)\Pre-Law or Biomedical Engineering at NJIT.
NJIT is slated to begin its second season under Coach Margaret McKeon.
Last season--McKeon's first at NJIT and the school's second in Division I competition--the Highlanders won 10 games, more than doubling the four wins they posted a year earlier in their Division I debut. NJIT, 8-9 over its final 17 games in 2007-08, returns 10 players, including six who started at least 11 games.