RINDGE, N.H. (February 20, 2018) – Head coach Jonathan Garbar and the Franklin Pierce University women’s soccer program are pleased to announce the team’s incoming 12-player recruiting class. The group features one international signee, in Viridiana Vázquez Kloss (Veracruz, Mexico), as well as 11 who will come to Rindge from the high school ranks.

The high-school recruits hail from four different states throughout the Northeast, including a high of five from neighboring Massachusetts: Jillian Arigo (Peabody, Mass.), Casey Kane (Millis, Mass.), Jessica Magerman (Bellingham, Mass.), Victoria McGrath (Upton, Mass.) and Amanda Van Cor (Haverhill, Mass.). Three incoming freshmen come from New York, including Morgan Smith (Glens Falls, N.Y.) and Long Island-based twins Ciersten and Corinne Palumbo (Holbrook, N.Y.). Two more will travel to the Granite State from Maine: Alexis Fotter (Gorham, Maine) and Ailiana Keely (Biddeford, Maine). Meanwhile, the remaining inbound Raven, Audreigh Brede (Keene, N.H.), will be sticking close to home in New Hampshire.

“The process of recruiting these student-athletes was tremendously rewarding, as each of them proved to be more than a high-level player, but a first-class human being,” said Garbar. “Their commitment to stretching the highest standards of excellence on a personal and collective level is what most differentiates them.”

Arigo spent four seasons in the midfield at Peabody High School, where she was a two-time All-League selection and a two-time selection as the team’s Offensive Player of the Year as well. She capped her career with Eastern Massachusetts All-Star and Salem News All-Star accolades as a senior. Arigo took the field at the club level for Aztec Soccer Club.

“Jillian’s ambitious mentality, gifted ability on and off the ball, and fearless approach on the defensive side of play allow us the opportunity to utilize her in a myriad of ways,” said Garbar. “The amount of development we witnessed over the past year in her play is a testament to her work ethic and passion.”

Brede was a four-year starter at nearby Keene High School, where she spent time at both the offensive and defensive ends of the field. As a team captain in her senior year, she was named the team’s Most Versatile Player. In the classroom, Brede has earned Scholar-Athlete awards from both the NHIAA and the NHADA, a pair of athletic governing bodies in the state of New Hampshire. A three-sport athlete, she was also a member of Keene’s alpine ski and track & field teams.

“Audreigh is a young player in which we see tremendous potential,” said Garbar. “She has the innate ability to find the ball, and understands how to play with tempo and rhythm.”

Fotter helped lead Gorham High School to back-to-back regional titles in her junior and senior seasons. A National Honor Society member, she has also been named to Maine’s Southwestern All-Academic Team and earned a Coaches Award at the team level during her career. A dual-sport athlete, Fotter collected back-to-back state titles in basketball, also during her sophomore and junior campaigns. At the club level, she played for GPS Maine, which captured the State Cup in 2016 and was the runner-up in 2017.

“Consistently impactful in all phases of play, she enjoys competition at a level that is difficult to find in young players,” said Garbar. “Alexis has a developmental ceiling that is far from being identified, and one that we are committed to exploring together with her.”

Kane heads to Rindge from Dexter Southfield School, where she was a four-year varsity starter. She was a two-time Boston Globe All-Star selection and served as team captain during her senior year, when she was also named the team’s MVP. Another dual-sport athlete, Kane was also a four-year starter for the basketball team, which she helped to the New England finals as a junior. At the club level, she took the field for the Boston Breakers and captured a trio of national titles along the way.

“It didn’t take long for us to recognize that Casey was a goalkeeper and teammate that our Raven program wanted to embrace,” said Garber. “She owns all the qualities that one would want in a young and talented goalkeeper: athletic, intelligent, cold-blooded and skillful.”

Keely completed her career at Biddeford High School, where she was a four-year starter and was the team’s captain as a senior. An All-Academic Team selection, she led her team in goals as a senior and earned the team’s Player’s Player Award and Character Award. Keely played at the club level for Seacoast United Mariners.

“Ailiana is a gifted young player who has the ability to affect the game in a variety of ways,” said Garbar. “Her grit, coupled with her comfort with the physical side of the game, will help her find great success as a Raven.”

Magerman was a three-year starter at Bellingham High School, where she was also a three-time Tri-Valley All-Star pick and earned an Eastern Massachusetts All-Star selection as a junior. She was the team’s leading scorer in each of her three seasons and earned team MVP honors as a junior, before skipping her senior high school season to focus on playing at the club level with the Boston Breakers. Along the way, Magerman also spent a year with the United States youth futsal national team.

“Jessica is an exceptional player on the ball and a student of the game,” said Garbar. “Due to her creativity and high-level intellect, she is a unique talent who fits in tremendously with our style of play.

McGrath will come to Franklin Pierce from Nipmuc High School, where she was a four-year starter on the back line. She was a three-time All-League selection and also a three-time Central Massachusetts All-Star. She capped her career with an All-State selection as a senior. McGrath is a National Honor Society member and has done extensive work with Soccer Without Borders, which earned her the MIAA Educational Athletic Achievement Award, bestowed by Massachusetts’ governing body for high school athletics, in 2016.

“Victoria is more than a tremendous athlete, but also a dynamic and cerebral player,” said Garbar. “Her abilities to evaluate and execute at a high level, and to do so at speed, is a very impressive and important quality for our program.”

Ciersten Palumbo was a four-year starter at Sachem North High School, where she spent time as both a midfielder and an attacking forward. She has played at the club level for SUSA Soccer Club.

“Her physicality, intelligence and athleticism make her someone who will help add another dimension to our attack,” said Garbar. “Furthermore, she demonstrates both exceptional work ethic and a passion for embracing challenges.”

Her twin sister, Corinne Palumbo, was also a four-year starter at Sachem North, and joined Ciersten at SUSA Soccer Club as well. Corinne Palumbo was named as the best defender in Suffolk County as a senior, when she also earned a Scholar-Athlete Award. She plays primarily on the back line.

“Corrine is a multi-dimensional and exceptionally gifted player,” said Garbar. “Her experience is strongest as a defender, however her abilities on and off the ball allow her to be functional and impact all areas of the field.”

Smith was a five-year starter at South Glens Falls High School, where she spent time as both an offensive and defensive player, often switching roles in the midst of the game. A two-time team captain, she earned a Section All-Star and Foothills Council All-Star selections during her career. Academically, she was honored by New York’s high school sports governing body, as an NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete.

“Morgan is a player who we are very proud to welcome to the Raven family,” said Garbar. “She is a player who we identified due to her technical ability, high work rate and cerebral nature on the field.”

A three-year member of the team at Haverhill High School, Van Cor served as a team captain during her senior season. She is a two-time All-League selection and also earned both All-State and Eastern Massachusetts All-Star selections during her career. Van Cor led her team in scoring as a senior and was named team MVP as both a junior and a senior. She has played at the club level for both Seacoast United Soccer Club and the North Shore Breakers.

“Amanda is a natural footballer and an impressively intelligent young player,” said Garbar. “She enjoys the ball at her feet, understands spacing and timing and a high level, and loves to get forward.”

The lone international member of the recruiting class, Vázquez Kloss took the field with Linces Soccer Team in her native Mexico. In 2016, she was able to capture both state and national titles.

“Viridiana brings both a level of class and energy that are rare and exceptional,” said Garbar. “Her innate ability to get forward, as well as commit to the defensive side of things, makes her both a multi-dimensional threat, and a player who leads by example.”

“After having the pleasure of spending time with the members of the recruiting class and their wonderful families, there was no doubt that these young women would be a driving force in the mission of our dynamic, unique and ambitious program,” added Garbar, regarding the class as a whole. “We are grateful for their commitment, enthusiasm and trust. It is an honor and a privilege to be their next head coach.”

The Ravens returned to the postseason for the first time since 2014, and to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2010, at the end of the 2017 campaign. The dozen recruits will join the squad’s returning players in looking to build on last season’s success in 2018. Franklin Pierce is scheduled to open its fall season at home on Thursday, Aug. 30 against Wisconsin-Parkside at 7 p.m.

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).