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By Kevin Pierson, kpierson@mariettatimes.com

VINCENT - Warren senior Emily Foy has been on Ohio Valley University coach Paul Jacoby's radar for quite some time.

Foy's natural athleticism and her ability to play at a consistent level each and every night had Jacoby watching the Lady Warrior middle hitter many times over the past two seasons.

"We've been watching her for over a year, watched her a lot last year in club, and just felt like she was the kind of girl we wanted," Jacoby said. "She can play middle, she can block, she can hit."

Wednesday afternoon Foy joined Jacoby's team as she signed her national letter of intent to play volleyball for OVU, an NCAA Div. II school located in Vienna, W.Va.

"I really liked how it was a small school and everybody got to be close," Foy said of her collegiate choice.

The college choice for the Warrior hitter was actually made pretty easy.

Foy's sister, Sarah, attends school at OVU and runs cross country.

"My sister is going there and she really likes it," Foy said. "It's close to home. I really liked that."

Former Warren teammate Hannah McMichael signed with the school last year and made an immediate impact on the Fighting Scots.

Club teammate Tiffany Schob, a Marietta High School graduate, also goes to OVU.

McMichael and Schob's presence on the OVU roster also made Foy's college choice a little easier and like the other two Washington County graduates Foy is expected to immediately contribute to OVU.

"We're counting on her coming in and playing middle for us," Jacoby said.

This past fall the OVU women struggled at middle hitter as the girls they expected to contribute went down with injury.

Shuffling the lineup hurt OVU and Foy is expected to solidify the middle part of the rotation, a prospect she's certainly looking forward to.

"I'm just excited to keep playing. Coach Jacoby is a really nice coach," Foy said.

A key cog in Warren's sectional championship this past fall when the Lady Warriors knocked off arch rival Marietta, Foy knows the next level holds a challenge for her.

The game will be played at a little faster pace and there will be better overall players on the court night in and night out.

Just the same, it's a fun challenge.

"It's a higher level and it's going to be a tougher atmosphere there," Foy explained.

As a student at OVU Foy plans to pursue a degree in elementary education, a career choice that fits her personality and she was really sold on when she sat in on a class at OVU.

"I could always tell that I liked working with kids," Foy said.

Foy's consistency is another key component that Jacoby expects to be a factor next season on the volleyball court for the Fighting Scots.

This past fall there were times when the Fighting Scots lost composure down the stretch and it contributed to their struggles.

While it's still several months away, Foy is more than ready for her first step onto the volleyball court with her new teammates.

"I'm really looking forward to playing with all of them (OVU girls)," Foy said.