RINDGE, N.H. (April 26, 2017) – Jonathan Garbar has announced eight more additions to his first recruiting class as the head coach of the Franklin Pierce University women's soccer team, who will all join the program for the 2017 season. Three of the signees, Gabrielle Barbosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil), Melissa Gonzalez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Tess Kazlowski (New York, N.Y.), most-recently played for Garbar at Monroe College, his previous coaching stop. Another, Gabriela Braga (Porto Alegre, Brazil), is a transfer from Division I Creighton University, who also previously played at Monroe as well. Meanwhile, Evaline Rodrigues (Rehoboth, Mass.), Caitlin Ryan (Hull, Mass.), Nikole Saa (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Bridgette Winters (Hillsboro, N.H.) join the Ravens from the high school ranks.

"Ravens women's soccer continues to put a premium on bringing in high-level individuals, who are not only gifted and proven athletes, but who are also capable of driving the next phase of our storied tradition," said Garbar of the additions. "High character, commitment to personal and professional development, and a true passion for progress are non-negotiable in our program."

Listed as a back at Creighton in her junior season last fall, Braga saw action in all 17 games for the Blue Jays and finished fifth on the team in minutes played, as she earned 13 starts and was a key piece of the back line. Before heading for Creighton, she played under Garbar for two years at Monroe, where she tallied 34 points on 12 goals and 10 assists over 27 games. Braga, a Brazilian native, also brings experience at the international level as well. She was a member of the Mustangs' national title team in 2014, and also captained the 2015 squad to the national semifinals.

"Gabriela absolutely exemplifies the standard of performance that Ravens soccer stands for, both on and off the field," Garbar said of Braga. "She has not only competed at an elite level, both nationally and internationally, but she is a national champion and the definition of a leader. Her ability to dominate play through her unrelenting competitiveness and mature level of intelligence will be a tremendous asset to the program and the manner in which we will approach all aspects and phases of the upcoming season."

Barbosa played her freshman season at Monroe under the name of Gabrielle Pereira, and saw action in 13 games in the midfield for the Mustangs, including 12 starts. Along the way, she picked up 19 points on six goals and seven assists.

"Gabrielle is a tremendously skilled and gifted center midfielder, who has only scratched the surface of her true potential," Garbar said of Barbosa. "With her natural abilities on the ball -- including creativity, precision and efficiency -- we have a player who is only going to get better within the structure of our program."

Gonzalez spent the previous two seasons in the midfield and on the back line at Monroe under Garbar, and appeared in 25 games for the Mustangs. She put home one goal and three assists to tally four points in her Monroe career.

"Melissa has long been an impressive technical player, whose effectiveness in the middle of the field and at outside back, has allowed her to compete at a high level in the New York region," Garbar said of Gonzalez. "However, it is her fairly recent physical transformation, as well as her tactical and cognitive development, which have provided her with the means to be a first-class player and competitor at the national level."

Kazlowski redshirted at Monroe as a freshman in 2016 and is a product of New York's United Nations International School before college. There, she was a four-year letterwinner and a four-year All-League selection. She collected the team's MVP award in her senior year and was a two-year team captain.

Ryan took the field at the high school level for Hull (Mass.) High School. As a senior, she set a new single-season school record in goals, on her way to an All-State selection. Ryan was a three-time All-League selection and was also named her division's Player of the Year as a senior. A team captain as a senior, the team earned its first ever division title in her final year at Hull. In the classroom, Ryan was an All-Scholastic Team pick by both the Boston Globe and the Patriot Ledger. At the club level, as a member of Southeast United, she took home a silver medal at the Bay State Games.

Rodrigues comes to Rindge from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School (Mass.), where she was a four-year starter, a two-time All-League selection and both an Eastern Massachusetts First Team and All-State selection. She earned All-Star honors during her career from the Boston Globe, the Attleboro Sun Chronicle, and the Taunton Gazette. In addition, Rodrigues played at the club level for Nova Premier Soccer Club, which was a two-time State Cup semifinalist.

Saa joins the Ravens from Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School (N.Y.), where the team was a two-time finalist for the Brooklyn-Queens Championship. In addition, she represented the school as a senior at the NYC Mayor's Cup. However, most of Saa's accolades come from the club soccer circuit, as she has spent the last seven years, which included six division titles, with the Lady Panthers of the Long Island Junior Soccer League. With the Panthers, she has been a five-year team captain, won the team's MVP award twice, captured two Long Island Cups and collected one State Cup title.

Winters was a four-year starter at Hillsboro-Deering High School (N.H.), where she served as team captain as a senior. She was an All-State Honorable Mention pick as a sophomore, followed by earning an All-State Second Team nod as a junior, when she earned the team's MVP award. As a senior, Winters led an undefeated team in goals and assists and was named Capital Region Athlete of the Season. She would also spend time with the NH Lions cup team, which she also led in both goals and assists.

The eight new Ravens will make their Franklin Pierce debuts, along with coach Garbar, in the fall.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce soccer apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).