Alumnae News & Events

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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.”

St. Francis Alumna Kaitlyn Cozens ’13 is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan. She was a four-year letter winner with the Water Polo program and graduated from the School of Kinesiology with a degree in sports management in April, 2017. She was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and received the U-M Academic Achievement Award twice. She finished her career with 51 games played with 11 goals, 11 assists, 22 points and 13 steals and was a member of two CWPA Championship teams and two NCAA appearances.

St. Francis Performing Arts Department Chair, Cheryl Watson, enjoyed a special screening of Greta Gerwig’s ‘02 new film, “Lady Bird,” penned a love letter to Sacramento. Greta tells the story of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (played by Saoirse Ronan) during her senior year at Immaculate Heart High School. 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (SMU/AAC) – SMU junior goalkeeper Catie Brown, a ‘15 alumna of St. Francis, was named the American Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week, and freshman midfielder Isabelle Nashmi earned a spot on the AAC weekly honor roll, the league announced Monday.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Alumna Lauren LaRocco ‘14 finished 13th in the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:41.08 at the USATF Championships on Thursday at Sacramento State.

“My goal was to start really conservative,” said LaRocco. “I did not know how I would feel coming down from altitude. I really tried to run my own race and slowly pick off girls. I think I did a pretty good job of it and I was close to one of them at the end.”

Greta Gerwig ‘02 appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, January 12th. Greta spoke about her new movie “20th Century Women” in which she co-stars with Annette Bening. Greta also shared her experience growing up in Sacramento without a TV and how she made up a theme song to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

“20th Century Women” - http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/greta-gerwigs-20th-century-women-will-make-you-cry-and-laugh/3453574

Santa Clara’s Camille Dyer ’12 was awarded the Jim Shea Award at the annual Red and White Celebration at Malley Center on the Santa Clara campus on May 22.

The award recognizes one male or female student-athlete who has courageously led his or her team through selfless actions and been a leader in the campus community. Jim Shea was the first Santa Clara student-athlete whose life was cut short while serving in the Vietnam War.

DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis hosted the Aggie Shootout Saturday but it felt like a St. Francis water polo alumnae gathering with the large number of Troubadours students, alumna and parents in attendance. The Cal Head Coach even called it “National St. Francis Day” at the pool.

Five alumnae were representing three different schools at the Aggie Shootout including Brinnley Barthels ‘14 (Pacific), Lauren Charter ‘15 (UC-Berkeley), Marisa Kolokotronis ‘13 (Brown), Kat Menz ‘12 (UC-Berkeley) and Brooke Vowell ‘12 (UC-Berkeley). 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Fran (Jaksich) Dowell, a 1971 graduate of St. Francis, was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas on September 28. Her election was in her first year of eligibility and was in the category of “Director”. Fran is a former recipient of the prestigious SFHS Lifetime Achievement Award for her career in Senior Softball.

Moncton, CANADA – St. Francis alumna Ariana Calderon made the Mexican national team for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Canada but a recent injury will keep her on the sideline.

“Due to my injury, I will not be playing in the World Cup this year,” said Calderon on Instagram Thursday night. “I gave it everything I had, but it was not in God’s plan. Thank you to those who reached out and (have) given me strength during this time. I wish my teammates the best of luck. I can’t wait to get back in the Mexico jersey.”

LINCOLN, Neb. – MacKenzie Campbell ’14 recently accepted a paid internship with the University of Nebraska Huskers Marketing department. She was selected for one of seven positions out  of more than 100 applicants and was one of only two freshmen and the only freshman girl. She will be coordinating the marketing for the Huskers nationally-ranked volleyball team, nationally-ranked women’s gymnastics and men’s gymnastics teams this fall. She also will be working events for the football and game day on the field. 

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – UCLA senior middle blocker Zoe Nightingale told college coaches she wanted to play for and win a national championship. She did just that in her freshmen year and now she wants to perform an encore to bookend her career.

Nightingale, a 2011 graduate of St. Francis, helped the Bruins win the title in her freshman season, earning a selection to the NCAA All-Tournament team in the process.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – 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.

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.

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

DAVIS, Calif. – Allie Wegener started her sophomore season at UC Davis this month and the former St. Francis volleyball standout is enjoying every moment of her collegiate career at the local school.

Wegener is starting for the Aggies and ranks second on the team in kills and digs per set in the first nine games this season for first-year Head Coach Dan Conners.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The drive down Elvas Avenue to St. Francis High School was very familiar but this time they kept driving by their former school en route to the gym at Sacramento State.

“On the bus I was really excited,” said UCSB freshman Megan Sullivan about driving by the school. “I was (telling everyone) that was my high school and pointing out where we go to eat all the time after school. No one really cared but Noa and I were really excited and took videos and everything.”

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Cal Poly sophomore Beth Balbierz will play in the Big West Tournament starting Friday in Anaheim.

She has been a key contributor for the Mustangs this season, playing in all 29 games and making one start in the season finale this past weekend. She is coming off the best game of her college career last weekend.