SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Nine St. Francis seniors have made commitments to play collegiate sports this fall and were recognized at a ceremony at the school, bringing the total to 23 student-athletes for the Class of 2019. The Troubadours who signed on April 17 represent seven sports (basketball, cross country, lacrosse, rowing, swimming, tennis and water polo) and will be attending schools in four states (California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington).
The 2019 Spring Signing class includes Myra Anwar, Tennis, University of the Sciences (Sacramento), Nika Bagatelos, Basketball, Chapman (Sacramento), Alison Bradus, Rowing, Gonzaga (Gold River), Sophie DeBenedetti, XC/Track & Field, Northwestern (Sacramento), Kate MacIntyre, Lacrosse, UC Davis (Sacramento), Kelly Niethammer, Rowing, Stanford (Sacramento), Lauren Pank, Basketball, Linfield College (Sacramento), Hannah Parulan, Swimming, Chapman (Sacramento) and Kate Watley, Water Polo, Fresno State (Sacramento).
Anwar was a four-year letter winner for the Troubadours, playing exclusively at the No. 1 singles position for the last three seasons. She compiled 40 career wins for the Troubadours, helping the program to four consecutive Delta League team titles and four straight Sac-Joaquin Section playoff appearances. Anwar led the Troubies to the 2017 Sac-Joaquin Section title and two runner-up section finishes and three CIF NorCal Regional appearances.
Bagatelos earned first-team Delta League honors for the second consecutive season in 2019 after leading the team in scoring at 11.7 and ranking fifth in scoring in the league. She led the league in three-pointers per game at 2.8 and ranked fourth in the Division I in the state. She capped off her senior season with Sacramento Bee All-Metro honorable mention honors.
Bradus, who competes for Capital Crew, lists among her career highlights competing at the nationals in Sarasota, Fla., with the varsity eight and placing 10th overall. She raced in the four with St. Francis classmate Kelly Niethammer at the Head of the Charles this fall, finishing 13th overall and earning an automatic bid for her Capital Crew program next year.
DeBendetti has been a four-year contributor on the St. Francis cross country and track and field teams. She has run in four consecutive cross country state championships, helping the Troubadours to three Sac-Joaquin Section championships and a pair of Delta League titles.
Macintyre, who plays goalie, has been a three-year letter winner for the Troubadour lacrosse program before being sidelined this season with an injury. She played in 38 career games in goal for the Troubadours, making 141 career saves with a 44.6 save percentage over three seasons.
Niethammer helped her Capital Crew boat to top-three finishes in the Southwest Regional Championships for the Lightweight 4+ (2nd place) and Lightweight 8+ (3rd place) qualifying for Youth Nationals in 2018. Her boat finished ninth in the nation at 2018 Youth Nationals in the Lightweight 8+ and placed second in the Lightweight 8+ at San Diego Crew Classic in the same season.
Pank was a four-year letter winner for the Troubadours, playing the CIF State Championship runner-up team as a call up during her freshman season in 2015-16. She played in 95 career games at the varsity level. She went on to become a three-year starter for the Troubies, helping the team to three consecutive Delta League titles and four Sac-Joaquin Section playoff appearances.
Parulan has been a four-year standout for the Troubadours in the pool. She finished fourth in the finals in both the 200-yard individual medley with a personal-best 2:11.91 and fourth in the 100y backstroke (1:01.11) at the Delta League Championships last week. She also participated in the fourth-place 200y IM relay and second-place 400y free relays.
Watley was a two-year letter winner for the Troubadours, making nearly 300 saves over her two year career. She was a Delta League first team selection and Sac-Joaquin all-section second choice as a senior. She helped the Troubadours to back-to-back Section runner-up finishes.
2019 St. Francis Spring Commitments/Signees
Name, Sport College/University (Hometown)
Myra Anwar, Tennis, University of the Sciences (Sacramento) -- Feature ** TroubieTV Interview
Nika Bagatelos, Basketball, Chapman (Sacramento) -- Feature
Alison Bradus, Rowing, Gonzaga (Gold River) -- Feature ** TroubieTV Interview
Sophie DeBenedetti, XC/Track & Field, Northwestern (Sacramento) -- Feature ** TroubieTV Interview
Kate Macintyre, Lacrosse, UC Davis (Sacramento) -- Feature ** TroubieTV Interview
Kelly Niethammer, Rowing, Stanford (Sacramento) -- Feature ** TroubieTV Interview
Lauren Pank, Basketball, Linfield College (Sacramento) -- Feature
Hannah Parulan, Swimming, Chapman (Sacramento) -- Feature ** TroubieTV Interview
Kate Watley, Water Polo, Fresno State (Sacramento) -- Feature
