July 12, 2007

FAIRFIELD, CT - Sacred Heart head fencing coach Dr. Thomas Vrabel has announced the recruiting class for the 2007-2008 season. The Pioneers will have five newcomers joining the team this fall.

The team's strong saber squad will get even better with the addition of Anna Hanley (Medford, MA/ Lexington Christian Academy) and Kayla Cronin (Plainville, MA/ Bishop Feehan HS). Hanley, who is coming off a very strong high school USFA career, is the reigning USFA New England Division senior saber champion. Anna is a USFA B rated saberist who has had a great deal success on the national scene, placing third at a division 2 level national circuit event this past season.

"We are extremely pleased to have Anna join the team this fall" comments Vrabel. "She is the most accomplished high school saberist to fence for SHU. With Anna joining first team all NEIWFC selection Krista Bacci we could have the strongest 1-2 punch in New England intercollegiate women's saber this year."

Cronin, who is a multi sport athlete, captained her high school team last season.

"I see a lot of similarities between Kayla and Krista Bacci" says Vrabel. "Both are athletic and have a rare combination of power and quickness. I would not be surprised if her success as a freshmen mirrors the great things that Krista accomplished last year."

In addition to sophomore Krista Bacci, Hanley and Cronin will be joining senior Elise Valerio and sophomore Courtney Perlee on the saber squad.

"Despite being young our saber squad can be very successful next season" comments Vrabel. I would not be surprised if they dominate the league next year. They have that kind of potential"

The foil team will be strengthened by the addition of JoAnne Siskidis (East Setauket, NY/ Ward Melville HS) and sophomore transfer Casey Zimmerman (Livingston, NJ/ Livingston HS). Siskidis, who was team captain and an all Suffolk County first team selection, led her Ward Melville HS team to the Long Island girls championship last year. Zimmerman, who captained her Livingston HS team as a senior is a multi sport athlete who competed in cross country and track at the collegiate level last year.

"I am very excited about the athleticism and experience that Jo and Casey will bring to the foil squad" comments coach Vrabel.

They will be joining junior team captain Deidre DeSilva and sophomores Chloe Krueger and Kim Kunzik.

"Our foil team was very inexperienced last year and despite working hard struggled during the season" says Vrabel. "With the infusion of these two talented recruits and the development of our returning foilists, I expect the foil squad to be very competitive this year."

Epeeist Allison Ratis (Lake Grove, NY/ Centereach HS) comletes this stellar recruiting class. Ally, who was Centereach team captain had an excellent senior season and was Long Island girls epee champion.

"I expect great things from Ally this season" comments Vrabel. "She has great athleticism and balance and will be immediately successful at the collegiate level."

Ratis will join returning epeeists senior Meghan Ballback, junior Mary Dannegger and sophomores Alison Roach and Catie Sagevick on a squad that came on at the end of the year to place fourth in the NEIWFC tournament.

"By the second half of last season the epee squad caught up to saber in perfomance" said Vrabel. With the Ally Ratis joining the team we gain depth and an improved athleticism that will make this squad very competitive in the league this year."

"We are a very young team" comments Vrabel. "I would not be surprised if we start 8 or even 9 underclassmen on a regular basis. I feel very good about Sacred Heart being one of the top three teams in the NEIWFC this year. We now have the depth and overall skill level to be very competitive and we have some individuals that have excellent shots at qualifying for the NCAA national championships".