Alumnae News & Events

Coming soon to a theater near you: SFHS Alumna, Greta Gerwig ‘02, brings Little Women to life on the big screen as only she can do! Another well directed and cast film, Gerwig has Saoirse Ronan playing the heroine Jo March; Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen playing the sisters; Laura Dern is Marmee, and Meryl Streep plays their forbidding, rich Aunt March. Timothée Chalamet (another Lady Bird carryover) plays heartthrob Laurie, the literal boy next door who develops an intense friendship with Jo.

The 2nd annual “Spirit of San Damiano Award” will be presented at the 2019 Revelry Gala & Auction on March 9, 2019. Marion Kaeser Slakey ’48 has been selected as a recipient of this year’s award. 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Alumna Allison Child ’13 will begin her first season on the St. Francis volleyball staff in 2018, serving as the head coach of the freshman team.

“Being back at St. Francis is such a blessing and I am excited to be here to serve the community that gave me so much,” said Child. “I loved being a part of this volleyball program as a player, and I can’t wait to experience it as a coach, alongside an amazing and supportive staff. Overall, it’s truly an amazing opportunity to be back in the SF gym and I am looking forward to this season!”

Alumna Ashley Kyalwazi ’14, who was the Student Body President her senior year, continues to be a shining example and representative of St. Francis High School. She recently stopped by the campus in between her graduation from the University of Notre Dame and enrollment in Harvard Medical School this fall.

“I had a great time as an undergraduate at Notre Dame,” said Kyalwazi. “Over the course of four years, I was blessed to meet amazing people from professors to my peers. I will miss my time at ND, but I am looking forward to beginning my medical school journey.”

Congratulations to alumna Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis ’85 on her election to Lieutenant Governor of California! If you missed the article on Eleni in the Spring 2018 issue, read it here:

We know Troubadours are women who change the world; we had a chance to catch up with Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis ’85 to hear where her post-St. Francis journey has taken her and what lessons from her alma mater she has taken on the journey.

Always a woman who wanted to experience the world, Eleni spent her sophomore year at a boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland before embarking on her Troubadour education. While transferring schools mid-way through high school can seem intimidating, Eleni found her St. Francis home to be warm and welcoming and affectionately remembers the many friends she made while a student here. Troubies who remember her debate performance as Walter Mondale*, alongside Claire Chatfield as Geraldine Ferraro, will not be surprised that Eleni is currently campaigning to be the next Lieutenant Governor of California.

“A part of running for office is reviewing your old files. I pleasantly found a report I had written in high school about the 1984 election. There was no question the work we were doing at St. Francis was very relevant,” Eleni reminisces. Her social studies teacher, Trisha (Garretson) Uhrhammer, had connections at the Capitol through her graduate work in history and government. She was also involved with the League of Women Voters and encouraged her students to be informed and active in government. She made a big impact on Eleni.

Alumna Stephanie Buck ‘05 wrote a lovely article for Vanity Fair about Greta Gerwig ‘02, Lady Bird and our Red Carpet Party 2018 on Sunday. It’s really great to hear the community near and far abuzz for Greta, Lady Bird and Sacramento!

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis senior basketball player Julia Razo will continue her basketball career at Dominican University in San Rafael.

“I am really grateful for it and I was not expecting it,” said Razo. “I am really excited for a new beginning. It has always been a goal to play in college so I am glad I got it.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Coaches can be role models for their players in many ways. Alumna Beth Balbierz ‘11 is not only a former player at St. Francis but Division I starter at Cal Poly and now she is passing on her program and basketball knowledge to the players on the Junior Varsity team.

“It is fun but different,” said Balbierz. “There is more anxiety on this side of the ball as I have learned. The girls are really smart players so it is easy to coach them. They catch on quickly.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis alumnae Lauren LaRocco ‘14 and Peyton Bilo ‘15 had successful returns to Sacramento at the NCAA West Regional on Friday morning.

“It was really fun because there were people lining the course everywhere,” said Portland junior Lauren LaRocco. “I was really surprised by the turnout and I felt like I had a lot of support running in my hometown.”

SOUTH DAKOTA – Rising senior Jessica Gianulias organized the donation of St. Francis volleyballs while on a service trip this summer in South Dakota.

Gianulias traveled with seven current and former classmates with the Global-7 non-profit organization service trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They worked with girls between 6-10 years old part of the Oglala Lakota Indian Tribe.

GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Former Troubadour Madeleine Verspieren ’12 was drawn to the big boat setup at orientation and decided to try out a new sport. Four years later, she helped the Zags record their best NCAA finish in school history and will leave with two degrees and a feeling of accomplishment from her time on the water.

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Alumna Zoe Nightingale ’11 helped the top-ranked USC Trojans win the inaugural NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship with a 3-0 win over No. 2 Florida State. The Women of Troy completed the year on an incredible 30-match winning streak.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis Alumnae Sole Montemayor ’01 and Maren (Martinelli) Christie ’00 are both assistants on the basketball staff and played for Head Coach Vic Pitton during their days on campus. They have played a big role in helping the current team reach the CIF Division I Championship game on Thursday.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – It was ironic that Homecoming activities have surrounded the St. Francis campus this week as two of the school’s alumnae returned home to play collegiate volleyball Thursday night less than a mile away at the Hornets Nest on the Sacramento State campus.

For Dana Vestman (Elk Grove) and Loni Kreun (Davis) of the Montana State volleyball team and the St. Francis Class of 2013, everything was familiar on Thursday as they drove down Elvas Avenue on the way to the their game, providing directions to their van drivers.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The St. Francis volleyball program has 18 alumnae on collegiate rosters this fall across all NCAA Divisions. Pepperdine standout Gabi Palmeri leads a talented group of players taking the court this season after starring for Head Coach Alynn Wright and St. Francis.

Several programs have become popular destinations for the Troubies especially in California.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Jolise Limcaco ’11 recently graduated from Menlo College with a degree in Accounting and already has an offer to work at Frank Rimerman + Co. LLP after she graduates due to her exceptional job as an intern. She was a member of the Student Athletes Leadership Committee (SALC) the past two years and worked for the athletic department in her free time.

St. Francis alumnae are succeeding at the collegiate level across the country. Here is collection of news and notes about the former Troubies. Submissions can be sent in to Assistant AD Steve Shaff at sshaff@stfrancishs.org.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Ali Koumelis did not have any chance to settle into collegiate life at Portland, earning a spot in the Pilots rotation right away in her freshman season in their 6-2 system.

“I have not run a 6-2 in a while but it works for our team,” said Koumelis, a 2014 graduate of St. Francis. “I get to work on fewer things like I don’t have to work on blocking. So I can focus more on defense so I get more practice time doing that.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis alumnae are succeeding at the collegiate level across the country. Here is collection of news and notes from the last two weeks about the former Troubies. Submissions can be sent in to Assistant AD Steve Shaff at sshaff@stfrancishs.org. 

EUGENE, Ore. – Troubadour alumna Lauren LaRocco had a successful collegiate debut on Saturday. LaRocco finished 12th overall in 20:44 as the first freshmen in the race to cross the line, helping the Portland team to a second place finish at the Dellinger Invite held on Pre’s Trail in Eugene.

Portland accumulated 46 points during the six kilometer race which put them ahead of No. 2 Oregon (68), Oregon State (120), and Portland State (131). Sixth-ranked Michigan State won the meet.