Jul 28, 2025 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

When asked what separated Marist in her recruiting process, Ryan Oldaker summed it up with just a few words.

“Honestly, everything about it,” she said.

When you know, you know.

And Oldaker knew Marist, a Division I school in upstate New York, was where she wanted to continue her career.

Oldaker, a key member of South Fayette’s state champion girls basketball team last season, committed on July 23 to play at Marist.

She also had offers from Mercyhurst, Campbell, Albany and Rider.

After making the commitment, Oldaker got a special surprise from her mother, Dori.

“My mom brought me home red roses for the red in Marist, which was really sweet of her,” Oldaker said. “I celebrated with a dinner with my family. They are most important to me.”

Oldaker, an incoming senior at South Fayette, was second-team all-state a year after coming back from a major knee injury. She was a strong performer all year, especially in the playoffs, helping the Lions win their first state title. South Fayette upset four-time defending champion Archbishop Wood, 45-37, in the PIAA Class 5A championship.

Marist showed interest in Oldaker after her first AAU tournament in Atlantic City.

She took an unofficial visit to Marist on July 1. She left that day with a scholarship offer and a pretty good impression of the school.

“When I went on my unofficial visit (to Marist), it just felt right,” Oldaker said. “The whole culture and the way they play felt right. I got to watch them practice. It was really exciting and I just said to myself, “This is it.’ It’s where I want to be.

“The campus is gorgeous. I was in shock with how pretty it was. Everything there, from the facilities to the cafeteria, was honestly perfect.”

Marist is located in Poughkeepsie, about 90 miles north of New York City and plays in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Oldaker is still deciding on a major but plans to focus on either education or business.

Playing on the AAU circuit is a big factor for players, because it gives coaches a chance to look at them when college basketball is out of season. Oldaker’s Division I offers, like many players, ramped up once the AAU season got underway.

But don’t discount what winning a state championship meant for the process.

As Oldaker put it, being a state champion is an added bonus to her resume.

“Yes, AAU is such a huge part where college coaches come out and see you play, but if they look at you and see you are a state champion I feel like that shows them you can win big games,” Oldaker said.

The state championship boost certainly is not hurting her South Fayette teammates as well.

Oldaker’s was the first commitment and fellow Lions incoming senior Juliette Leroux became the second when she committed to Florida Atlantic Sunday.

Fellow senior Haylie Lamonde has a bunch of offers and so do incoming juniors Ella Vierra and Lailah Wright, so more commitments seem likely.

South Fayette already had one special season in 2023-24 that culminated in a state championship.

With five players with Division I offers returning, the Lions look to be gearing up to have another one when the WPIAL girls basketball season starts this winter.

“I’m so happy for my teammates and proud of them,” Oldaker said. Honestly, they all deserve it. It’s really great, but at the same time, we have to keep our heads at the same level that we were last year. No big egos and just play as a team knowing we can all be Division I athletes and that we can succeed this year. We just have to continue to play each game and not let those Division I offers get in our head and end up losing games we should win.”