For the past three years and one more season to come, Hiland's star basketball guard Angela Troyer has been instrumental in continuing the success of a program that is known statewide as one of the hardest working in the state.

While Troyer and the Lady Hawks gear up for a new season, full of high hopes, she did manage to put one concern to rest, recently signing her letter of intent to play at Ohio Dominican University.

Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said seeing yet another Lady Hawk play her way to the college ranks is as exciting as the past several dozen who have gone on to play, and he noted Troyer has definitely earned the right to put her name on a short list of Lady Hawks' greats.

"I'm excited for Angie to be able to put this behind her, check off this goal and focus on her senior year and beg a real leader for us this winter," Schlabach said.

Troyer was known as a big-time shooter, but she has been able to take her game to another level, learning to become a balanced, all-around scorer who could beat teams from deep or blow by defenders on her way to the hole. That makes her a double threat, and it makes her a player whose game should translate nicely to the college game.

While Troyer looked at several different schools, she liked what she saw at Ohio Dominican because she felt like her game was cohesive with the style of play the Panthers implement.

"I felt like the transition from the high school to college game would be easier because playing under Coach Schlabach, everything is based off of playing hard defensively, rebounding and playing fast," Troyer said. "I feel like that is exactly how Ohio Dominican plays."

Her overnight visit with the team, which also features former West Holmes standout Brittleigh McCaulay, made her feel like one of the team long before she will arrive next fall. The coaching staff told Troyer that the six new recruits for next year are all players whom they feel are capable of stepping in and contributing varsity minutes form the start.

Troyer said she narrowed her many choices down to Cedarville, West Liberty (W.Va) and West Virginia State and Glenville State, but O.D. was the school that she kept coming back to.

While continuing her hoops dream, Troyer will study physical therapy, at least that is the plan.

"That could change," she said with a laugh.

Troyer said that finally having the choice put to bed and behind her will help her focus on what matters the most in the here and now, and that is helping the Lady Hawks erase the bad taste of their regional loss last year.

Coach Schlabach said he loves that attitude of wanting to do whatever it takes to move beyond where they were last year and get back to Columbus, and he said Troyer has been a huge part of the team's success since she first arrived as a young freshman.

"All of my great players have started out with some great attributes, but they have all been able to continue to add to their games and make themselves better in every area," Schlabach said. "Angie has developed a tremendous mid-range game, she leads us in rebounding, she hits big shots in big moments for us. She has done it all, and now she has to figure things out with her teammates how to get it done in her senior year here. But she is such a hard worker, and even at her size, she should be a really good college player because of her knowledge and work ethic. She is going to show up every single day and work."

Schlabach said those are the things that will set her apart from the myriad of two-guards out there for colleges to look at. The stability she brings is a huge plus.

While the allure of playing college ball awaits Troyer, Schlabach is elated to have his star guard from one more year, where she can apply all of those fantastic traits to the Lady Hawks program.

Troyer added that growing up playing under Schlabach and his staff has definitely prepared her for the rigors of college ball.

"Coach has done an incredible job of preparing me, and preparing us, to be successful at this game," Troyer said. "We play fast and we play hard, and he has done everything in his power to prepare us for the next level."