She was named to the Pennsylvania all-state third team as both a high school sophomore and junior, and to the second Class 5A second team as a senior after being named Region 6 Player of the Year. She helped the Lady Dragons win three District 10 championships in four years.

Warren, under head coach Lisa LaVan (Emma’s mom), averaged 20 wins a season in Ruhlman’s four years, and Emma finished her high school career second all-time in scoring at WAHS with 1,448 points.

College basketball is tough, and it took Ruhlman time to adjust to Division II Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

“Being a student-athlete is one of the most difficult yet rewarding paths I think you can take,” said Ruhlman after the Chargers’ first NCAA D2 Tournament appearance since 2018. “You are held to a different standard than your fellow classmates. You are expected to perform on and off the court all the time. It requires a lot of discipline, hard work, and time management, but it is so fun. I get to spend every day with my built-in best friends. Sports also teach you a lot of things that the classroom can’t, so it’s really valuable to have that.”

Former WAHS standout and Hillsdale College junior captain Emma Ruhlman said she “hopes she can finish my career the same way I started in a Warren jersey — with joy and love for this game.” Photo courtesy of Hillsdale Charger Athletics

Ruhlman became a starter this season, averaging 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds a game. She scored 10 points with six rebounds in Hillsdale’s 61-56 loss to Northern Michigan in a Midwest Regional quarterfinal contest on Friday at Grand Valley State University. The Chargers finished Ruhlman’s junior season at 21-10.

“From a basketball standpoint, everyone in college was the best on their high school team,” she said. “Everyday is a grind for your spot on the floor. I think the biggest difference between high school and college ball is the speed and strength; that took me a little while to adjust to.

“It’s been a long grind to get where I’m at right now,” she said. “I didn’t play much my first two years, but I knew my role and knew that if I kept working and stayed the course, my time would come. Having some experience under my belt and being an upperclassman, as well as a captain, gave me a lot of confidence this season. I finally got the opportunity to play some more minutes, and I capitalized on it. It’s been a super cool journey and it’s been so fun to see my hard work come to fruition.”

Hillsdale’s head coach called Emma “a dream to coach,” and it’s no surprise as to why.

“Emma has impacted our program since the moment she stepped on campus,” said Hillsdale coach Briana Brennan. “This past year, she was one of our captains and helped lead our team to one of the most successful seasons our program has had in a while. She is a well-rounded student athlete that puts 100% effort into her schoolwork and 100% effort on the basketball court, too.

“Her growth on the basketball court has been tremendous over the past three years,” added Brennan. “She’s always had a very high basketball IQ and a great skill set, too, but she is never satisfied and always striving to become the best version of herself for the team. Her freshman year, she played in 10 total games and averaged three minutes. This past season, she earned herself a spot in the starting lineup for 20 of our 30 games. What makes her so special is that, regardless of playing time, she shows up every day with the best effort, attitude, and contagious energy. Emma is the epitome of consistency. She’s also our spark on the floor! She’s willing to do the dirty work that rarely gets rewarded because she knows it will contribute to our team’s success. This season, she had some huge rebounds in clutch moments and even hit our first two shots in our NCAA tournament game. They were both beautiful 3-pointers and she knocked them down with the utmost confidence on the biggest stage. Emma puts in the work, trusts her preparation and therefore is able to be confident in her game. Her confidence and energy is contagious and she truly is a joy to coach.”

That isn’t by accident.

“Lots of extra time in the gym, pushing myself in every practice, leading my team on and off the court, and lots of faith and prayers to the big man upstairs,” said Ruhlman. “Since I was a little kid, I’ve had dreams about playing at this level, so I think it’s been a culmination of everything I have worked for up until this point. It’s been such a cool experience to be a starter on a very successful collegiate team. I think to myself every day how proud little me would be right now.

“It was a big adjustment my freshman year,” she said, “but as my time here has gone on, I really feel like Hillsdale is my home. The friendships I have made with my teammates will last a lifetime. I also just think I have grown so much as a person at Hillsdale and it’s been so cool to forge my own path and become my own person.”

“Little me,” as Emma put it, has grown up.

“She is older and wiser,” said Ruhlman. “Haha. Just kidding, mostly. I think I still play with the same intensity and passion for the game as I did in high school, and honestly maybe a little more since I know I don’t have many more seasons left. I do think I have become a better leader and my knowledge about the game has expanded a ton.”

There was a time when “I don’t have many more seasons left” would have sounded like a foreign language out of Emma’s mouth.

“The plan is to graduate in May of 2026 and then go to medical school to become a doctor,” she said. “I’m not sure what specialty yet, but I have some interest in pediatrics and orthopedics/sports medicine. This year has been super difficult with a lot of high-level science classes, studying for the MCAT exam, and also playing an entire college basketball season. But I know it will all pay off someday, for sure.”

Basketball, believe it, has been integral.

“It has made me a very good leader who is not afraid to speak up,” said Ruhlman. “It also has instilled in me the idea that working hard for what you want in life can get you to where you want to be. I also have become very good at managing my time, and pushing through hard times. Like I said earlier, playing college basketball has taught me things that no lecture or professor ever could.”

And, oh, the memories.

“Since my mom retired (as WAHS girls coach), she has made it to almost every game this year,” said Emma, “and seeing her in the stands and how proud she is of me has been so fulfilling. I have one more year of basketball left, and I am just so excited and hope that I can finish my career the same way I started it in a Warren jersey — with joy and love for this game that has taken me so far.”