Dec. 4, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - - Providence College softball Head Coach Kerri Jacklets announced on Thursday, December 4 that student athletes Jessie Bryant (Marlborough, Mass.), Stephanie Kiesel (Ramona, Calif.) and Alaina Thomas (San Jose, Calif.) have each signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Providence College beginning in September 2009.

Bryant, who is a versatile athlete, plays three sports (softball, soccer and basketball) at Marlborough High School. According to Jacklets, Bryant will bring speed and athleticism to the outfield. During the 2008 campaign, Bryant led her high school with an impressive .538 batting average. She also led her team in home runs, hits and on-base percentage. She was named to the Telegram and Gazette Super Team as well as the Metro West Daily News Super Team. Bryant also played for the Polar Crush travel team. She also excels in the classroom as her GPA (4.27) ranks 19th in a class of 289.

Kiesel plays for Ramona High School. She can play catcher, first base and third base. According to Jacklets, Kiesel will bring power and versatility to the Friar infield. In addition to playing for Ramona High School, Kiesel also plays for the Firecrackers Gold travel team. Kiesel also brings strong academic credentials as she holds a 4.2 grade point average.

Thomas, who plays three sports (softball, field hockey and cross country) at Archbishop Mitty High School, is an all-around athlete who can play the middle infield and the outfield. According to Jacklets, Thomas has speed on the base paths and is a strong slap hitter. Thomas, who helped lead Archbishop Mitty to the 2008 California Central Coast Section title, also plays for the San Jose Lady Sharks travel team. She also was voted to the WAC All-League Team Honorable Mention in 2008. She also holds a 4.00 GPA.

"Our coaching staff and current players are extremely excited to welcome these three players into our program," Jacklets said. "We expect that the class of 2013 will be able to make immediate contributions to our program, both on and off the field."