Emily Myers had the next four years of her life mapped out.
The Pennridge senior was signed, sealed and all but delivered to St. Francis College in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she was committed to continue her water polo and swimming career. Myers along with a friend decided to throw for the outdoor track team this spring, and at the team’s very first practice, she received some devastating news.
“I got a call from my mom, and she was bawling her eyes out, and she told me that my college decided to get rid of all their athletic programs after the 2023 season,” Myers said. “This was definitely something I couldn’t really grasp right away.
“I got told this the end of March, which meant I only had a month to make my decision. Pretty much that whole month I was confused and upset, and I didn’t know where I wanted to go. It got stuck in my head that I was going to St. Francis College, but that was not the case. It was really hard to find another school that 1) I wanted to go to and 2) would even allow me to play water polo and do swimming.”
Myers found a school that fit the bill in Mount St. Mary’s University where she will major in biology in the pre-veterinary track and compete in both swimming and water polo.
“It was a struggle, but I’m happy with the way it turned out because I get to go to college with some of my great friends,” Myers said. “I am upset that I’m not going to be in New York, but it’s closer to home, there’s already a bunch of great people I know that are going there, and I hope that it will be just as good an experience.”
On Monday, May 22, Myers was recognized for the second time at a college signing event after being honored at the school’s Feb. 28 event as well. She was one of 10 seniors recognized.
Twins Paige and Samantha Lipp – the volleyball’s team libero and setter – will both continue their volleyball careers at Bryn Athyn College.
“We actually planned on going to two completely different colleges,” Paige Lipp said. “But Sam was reached out to by the Bryn Athyn coach, and I went along just to see what it was like.
“We both ended up loving the school and the coach, so we decided to go together.”
Paige will major in chemistry/biology while Samantha will major in special education.
“For me, it was more like – she was going to come with me, and I knew in the end we’d end up at the same school, but I didn’t know which school it would be at,” Samantha said. “We’d been together for 18 years, and I didn’t think anything would change.”
Paige also considered Penn State Brandywine while Samantha considered Penn State and Gwynedd Mercy.
Matt Gunning, Patrick Mill, Garrett Navitsky and Joey Santora will continue their baseball careers at the collegiate level.
Gunning chose Allegheny College from a final list that also included Clarion, Gettysburg and Salve Regina. He will major in environmental sciences and sustainability.
“I chose Allegheny because the academic program, the athletic facilities and also the culture on the baseball team,” Gunning said.
Mill will play baseball at Vassar College where he will major in computer science.
“I chose Vassar for its high academics and its beautiful campus,” Mill said.
Navitsky narrowed his choices down to Saint Vincent College and Clarkson. He chose Saint Vincent College where he will major in engineering.
“Saint Vincent College was a little closer to home than Clarkson, and it was a very beautiful campus,” Navitsky said.
Santora will continue his baseball career at Lebanon Valley College where he will major in data science/actuarial science. He also considered Moravian and Widener.
“I chose Lebanon Valley for the coach and the baseball team along with the great academics,” Santora said.
Maia Machado will continue her field hockey career at Moravian University where she will major in early childhood education and psychology. The four-year varsity goalie also considered Arcadia, Widener and Kutztown.
“I chose Moravian because of the field hockey team and coaching,” Machado said. “They all welcomed me with open arms and strive to get better every day.
“I also chose this school because my sister went there, and I got to see and hear about the teaching program, and it all felt right.”
Matt Campione and Gannon Perlini will continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level.
Campione will be attending The Catholic University of America where he will major in mathematics. A two-year first team All-SOL selection, he also considered Ursinus and Wheaton.
“I really loved the coaches and the players,” Campione said. “When I visited, it felt like a really good fit.”
Perlini, who will major in business management, chose Cabrini from a final list that included Ithaca, Chestnut Hill and Delaware Valley University.
“I chose Cabrini for its top tier business program with opportunities for internship,” Perlini said. “Also, I will get a good Jesuit education, not to mention a storied baseball program with awesome facilities.”
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