Whitefish's Gardner picks Robert Morris

He spent the last two years earning all-state honors while contributing to back-to-back undefeated Class A titles.

Life keeps getting sweeter for Tyler Gardner.

A Whitefish High School senior, Gardner committed Monday to play soccer at NCAA Division I Robert Morris University, where he will receive academic and athletic scholarships totaling more than $16,000 per year.

Located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Moon Township, Robert Morris is a private university with an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 and a total enrollment of about 5,000.

The Colonials belong to the 10-member Northeast Conference, where they tied Long Island University for sixth place last fall.

Gardner said he picked Robert Morris over California's Chico State University, which has a soccer program, and the University of Nevada-Reno, which does not.

"It seemed like they were more into their program, more revved up," Gardner said. "And they're a Division I school; Chico is Division II.

"The (Robert Morris) campus was small. I kind of liked that. It was small, but it was really nice."

Moon Township is nearly 2,000 miles from Whitefish, but Gardner will be greeted by two Flathead Valley natives when he arrives in August. Columbia Falls alumnus Tyler Stanley and Flathead alumnus Sean Riley play for the Colonials, and Stanley coached Gardner as a Whitefish assistant in 2006.

"We'll be the only team (in our conference) with three Montana kids on it, let alone any Montana kids on it," Gardner said.

"Tyler's going to be a senior, so he'll be one of the leaders. Sean's going to be a captain next season."

Gardner said Stanley's recommendation went a long way with Robert Morris coach Bill Denniston, and Whitefish coach O'Brien Byrd said the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Gardner was an easy sell when Denniston called him in search of defenders.

"He's the best defender I've had the privilege of coaching," said Byrd, who has coached about two dozen collegiate players. "He's an athlete. If you gave him a basketball and let him work with it over the summer, he'd make any varsity basketball team in the state.

"He's already big, fast and strong. He's got tools that any coach can work with."

And Gardner has proven himself a quick study. He only took up soccer as a sophomore after playing football as a freshman.

"I knew instantly, when I saw him at outside back (in 2005), that one day he would be our center back and the cornerstone of our defense," Byrd said. "He also had that presence. Some guys just have that aura about them."

NCAA rules prohibit Gardner from signing with Robert Morris before Feb. 6, but Gardner said all the pieces are in place, as is his role with the team.

"They know I'm a defender, and they're looking for a defender," he said. "I don't know if I'll be playing in the middle or on one of the wings, but I know I'll be playing on the defense for sure."

Gardner played pickup games with the Colonials on his recruiting trip, giving him a good idea of what to expect on the collegiate pitch.

"It's faster," he said. "Everybody's fast. Everybody's athletic. Everybody can move. Everybody's got moves. There's not a slow guy out there."

According to Byrd, Gardner is ready to contribute as a freshman, and Robert Morris' investment in him proves that the Colonials feel the same way.

"Without a doubt," Byrd said. "This coach will not give any scholarship money to any freshman unless he feels they can come in and make an immediate impact. By that, I mean play."

Gardner, who hasn't picked a major, said he is excited for his next athletic challenge, although he won't make any predictions concerning his career as a Colonial.

"I'm not too nervous," he said. "They're good, they can play. I hope I can play. I'm just going to do what I do, and hopefully it will be good enough."