KARNS CITY — Karns City senior Brittni Grenninger has known her soccer goals for years.

She's been scoring goals for years as well.

Grenninger netted 194 goals as a four-year starter for the Gremlins — second on the school's all-time list to state record holder Leslie Barnhart's 213 — and has decided to continue her academic and soccer careers at St. Francis (Pa.) University.

The Loretto-based school is only a 90-minute drive from Karns City.

"It was important to me to stay close to home because I want my parents to see me play," Grenninger said. "My mother's been sick and she can only travel so far."

Grenninger looked at a number of other Division I schools, including West Virginia, James Madison, Louisville, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

"We probably traveled 4,000 miles in the span of a few weeks visiting places," said Jim Grenninger, Brittni's father and a Karns City assistant soccer coach. "It seems strange she settled on a place right down Route 422.

"We're thrilled for her because it's a good fit academically. We're thrilled for ourselves because we can get to the games."

Grenninger is considering a major in business management.

A soccer player since age 5, she knew she wanted to play Division I soccer since age 12.

"I was playing cup soccer for the Pittsburgh Strikers," she said. "I first learned some skills and fundamentals at age 10, when I began playing traveling soccer. Before that, I scored goals by just using power, running through people to get to the ball.

"Following two years behind Meghan Schnur made me realize what I wanted, too. She is such a fantastic player. I was able to train with her a couple of times. I wanted to be like her in so many ways."

Schnur, a Butler graduate, is playing women's soccer at the University of Connecticut.

Retiring Karns City girls soccer coach Joe Meshanko said he knew Grenninger could become a Division I player when she was in eighth grade.

"She had the tools and she had the desire," Meshanko said. "Brittni has always known how to put herself in position to score goals.

"No matter how tired she was, that girl wanted to keep going. One game I remember her scoring a goal, coming to the sidelines and puking, going in and scoring another goal, coming to the sidelines and puking, then scoring yet another goal."

Her father said Grenninger always has had the desire to excel on a soccer field.

"Soccer has always been Brittni's game," he said. "Since she was a little girl, she's always wanted the ball and she'd run through people to get it.

"She's been the leading scorer on every team she's been on. She never lost that edge."

Meshanko said Grenninger will make a great coach some day as well.

"She won't be playing soccer all her life, but she'll be involved in the game," he said. "I know she wants to coach and she'll be good at it. She has the knowledge and personality for it."

Grenninger played four games for the Steel City Sparks of the Women's Premier Soccer League last summer and scored two goals. Her coach was Brenda van Strahlen, who is entering her third year at St. Francis.

Van Strahlen led the Red Flash to an 11-7-3 record — a school record in victories — and their first berth in the Northeast Conference Tournament since 2000.

"I think she's an awesome coach. Her and I just hit it off," Grenninger said. "I believe I can step in and start right away there. That's my goal anyway."

St. Francis is losing two of its five forwards to graduation this spring. Grenninger was recruited as a forward.

Grenninger becomes the third Karns City girls soccer player to suit up at a Division I college. Amanda Leyland went to Wofford in 1996 and Jen Rodgers headed to Robert Morris in 2000.