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GEORGETOWN, DEL. —
Sussex Tech senior Emily Ritter will not be running far away when the Raven graduates from high school in a few weeks.
The former Henlopen Conference cross country champion and member of the track team inked her letter of intent, Thursday, to continue both sports at Rider University in New Jersey.
“It came down to the last minute,” Ritter said of her decision to attend Rider. “I was going to go to Kutztown (Pa.), and Rider’s coach called me and I went up there a week later for an official visit and changed my mind.”
Her current cross country coach, Lou Nicoletti said, Rider is getting one of his best runners and, more importantly, a dedicated athlete. Throughout her three years with the team, Ritter never once missed a practice, said her current coach.
“Last year we had an attack of bird flu, and not many were able to practice. Emily showed up but she looked horrible and I told her that she needed to take the day off,” Nicoletti said. “She said to me, ‘no, no, I don’t want to miss practice,’ but she did eventually go to the nurse. Her temperature was 103 degrees.
“That’s the dedication she has and why she’ll do well at the next level.”
Ritter, who will study secondary education at Rider, said she is ready for the rigors of balancing academia and athletic life. In fact, she’s ready to start as soon as possible.
“I’m really excited,” Ritter said. “I’m as ready as I can be.”
Her parents are also excited for their daughter, who will be just an hour or two north of sister, Amanda, who is at the University of Delaware.
“We’ll be able to stop in and see her sister and then see her,” Kathy Ritter said. “[Emily] seems to be happy with the choice, and we’re relieved about that.”
Despite the excitement, Emily said she will miss a lot of the times she had at Sussex Tech, but it was not so much the accolades that stood out in her mind.
“I’ll really miss the cross country girls, a lot of them are my main friends and we’re really close,” she said. “They’ll always be my friends too, but I’m excited about making new ones as well.”
Sussex Tech senior Emily Ritter will not be running far away when the Raven graduates from high school in a few weeks.
The former Henlopen Conference cross country champion and member of the track team inked her letter of intent, Thursday, to continue both sports at Rider University in New Jersey.
“It came down to the last minute,” Ritter said of her decision to attend Rider. “I was going to go to Kutztown (Pa.), and Rider’s coach called me and I went up there a week later for an official visit and changed my mind.”
Her current cross country coach, Lou Nicoletti said, Rider is getting one of his best runners and, more importantly, a dedicated athlete. Throughout her three years with the team, Ritter never once missed a practice, said her current coach.
“Last year we had an attack of bird flu, and not many were able to practice. Emily showed up but she looked horrible and I told her that she needed to take the day off,” Nicoletti said. “She said to me, ‘no, no, I don’t want to miss practice,’ but she did eventually go to the nurse. Her temperature was 103 degrees.
“That’s the dedication she has and why she’ll do well at the next level.”
Ritter, who will study secondary education at Rider, said she is ready for the rigors of balancing academia and athletic life. In fact, she’s ready to start as soon as possible.
“I’m really excited,” Ritter said. “I’m as ready as I can be.”
Her parents are also excited for their daughter, who will be just an hour or two north of sister, Amanda, who is at the University of Delaware.
“We’ll be able to stop in and see her sister and then see her,” Kathy Ritter said. “[Emily] seems to be happy with the choice, and we’re relieved about that.”
Despite the excitement, Emily said she will miss a lot of the times she had at Sussex Tech, but it was not so much the accolades that stood out in her mind.
“I’ll really miss the cross country girls, a lot of them are my main friends and we’re really close,” she said. “They’ll always be my friends too, but I’m excited about making new ones as well.”
