BUTLER TWP — Noah Hartung served his mission. Now he's on another one.

The 2006 Butler graduate, robbed of much of his senior football and basketball seasons by knee problems, accepted a full scholarship to play basketball at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.

Hartung, 21, plans to major in secondary education. He received the scholarship offer six days after returning from a two-year Mormon mission in Portland, Ore.

"It was pretty surprising," Hartung said. "I know I've been under the radar and I had no other offers."

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Hartung was primed for a big senior year in football and basketball. As a junior, he led the Golden Tornado football team with 25 catches for 298 yards and averaged 9.1 points per game with 14 3-pointers in basketball.

He underwent knee surgery for a torn meniscus two weeks before the beginning of football camp his senior year.

"I came back to play in three games, but I came back too soon," Hartung said. "I had to have a second surgery in October."

Hartung caught 12 passes in those three games. He returned from the second knee operation in time to play in 11 basketball games, but scored as many as 13 points in a game only once.

He went on to Snow Junior College in Utah, knowing he would begin serving his two-year mission the following year.

"I rehabbed my knee at Snow and they wanted me to play my freshman year," Hartung said. "I asked to redshirt to continue building strength in my knee and maintain my four years of (athletic) eligibility.

"I played against guys 6-7, 6-10 in practice. My game improved a lot going against those guys."

When Hartung returned from his mission, Pitt-Johnstown basketball coach Bob Rukavina was aware of him.

"I coached at CCAC-South when Noah's father (Dick Hartung) coached at Butler County Community College," Rukavina said. "I remembered seeing Noah play his sophomore year and he showed plenty of skill back then.

"When he came back from his mission, we wanted to see what he had."

Hartung visited UPJ, scrimmaged with members of the team and was offered the scholarship.

"I was nervous," Hartung admitted. "I knew it was an audition, but what are you going to do? I just went out and played ball."

Rukavina is 327-220 in 20 seasons at UPJ. His team graduated four seniors from last year's 24-8 squad that won the WVIAC Tournament before losing to Gannon in the first round of NCAA Division II regional play.

This year's UPJ basketball team will be one of the youngest Rukavina has put on the floor.

"We'll be starting a true freshman, two sophomores, a junior and senior," he said. "Noah will be in the mix there. I think he'll be one of our top six players.

"He's a freshman, but he's 21. He's a mature kid, an excellent passer who can play defense at either the 3 or 4 position. He dives for loose balls. ... You win games with players like him."

UPJ has sent four players on to pro basketball overseas in the past four years. Coming out of high school, none of those players was offered a scholarship by any other school.

"I feel like I can judge talent," Rukavina said. "Besides, there's 350 Division I basketball programs out there. Anybody over 6-5 who can jump, that's where he's going. A kid like Noah becomes available, I jump on it."

Hartung returned from Portland June 18. He signed with UPJ on July 14.

"I'm just happy he's getting a chance," Dick Hartung said. "I have six boys and I don't know if they're all going to be in sports or not. I am confident they will all serve a mission.

"The first two (Nate and Noah) set the example for the next four. They're following what the church teaches. That's what's important to us as a family."