SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Eight St. Francis High School seniors have signed a National Letter-of Intent or made commitments to play collegiate sports next fall for the NCAA signing period that began today. Overall, thirty-two Troubadour student-athletes have now made commitments to play collegiately next year.

The Troubadour commitments include Allison Autrey (Diving, UC Davis), Brinnley Barthels (Water Polo, Pacific), Ryanne Brust (Lacrosse, Fort Lewis), Hannah Frech (Water Polo, Sierra College), Alexa LoGiudice (Volleyball, Dominican), Ileana MacDonald (Golf, Chico State), Victoria Vardanega (Golf, Pomona-Pitzer) and Alexis Viramontes (Softball, CSU Dominguez Hills).

St. Francis will honor the spring signees, including the six Troubies who committed during the February signing period, at a ceremony at the school on Wednesday, April 30 at 8:30 a.m. in the CLC.

Autrey joined the diving program as a sophomore and has developed into one of the area’s top divers. She has finished among the top two on the team in each meet this season and placed seventh at the St. Mary’s Invitational last week.

Barthels was named to the CIF Sac-Joaquin All-Section water polo first-team and was selected the Player of the Year for the St. Francis varsity team. She tied for the team lead with 35 goals on the season, scoring a team-best 50 points while recording 25 steals. She scored a team-best 1.17 goals per game in 30 games on the season.

Brust, a defender, is a two-year starter and letter winner for the Troubadours. After missing the start of the season, she has returned to help the Troubadours in the second half of the season.

Frech scored six goals and recorded three assists during the season to go with 15 steals, helping the team to an appearance in the section championship.

LoGiudice, a defensive specialist and libero, was a two-year letter winner for the Troubadours. She was a member of the Nor Cal and Sac-Joaquin Section runner-up squad in 2013 that recorded a 34-9 record and won the Delta River League title.

MacDonald was a four-year letter winner and starter for the Troubadours. She posted an 84.0 stroke average over six 18-hole rounds in 2013, while averaging 40 in five nine-hole matches. She shot a season-best 78 at the Sac-Joaquin Division I North tournament to help St. Francis win the event and advance.

Vardanega, a four-year letter winner and starter, helped the Troubadours to the Delta River League and Division I North section titles as a senior. She recorded an 83.3 stroke average over six full rounds with a 40.2 stroke average in dual matches. She carded a season-best 35 against Folsom and an 80 in the DI North section tournament.

Viramontes is hitting .346 this season over 17 games with nine runs scored and 18 RBI while playing a solid third base (three errors in 64 chances). She hit .359 as a junior with 15 RBI.

St. Francis had 18 student-athletes in November and six in February commit or sign to play collegiate athletics next fall, bringing the total for the 2013-14 school year to 32 student-athletes to 27 different schools. Twenty-six student-athletes signed or committed to play collegiate athletics to a combined 22 NCAA institutions in 2012-13.

St. Francis Collegiate Commitments (8) – April 16 Signing Day

Allison Autrey, Diving, UC Davis

Brinnley Barthels, Water Polo, Pacific

Ryanne Brust, Lacrosse, Fort Lewis

Hannah Frech, Water Polo, Sierra College

Alexa LoGiudice, Volleyball, Dominican

Ileana MacDonald, Golf, Chico State

Victoria Vardanega, Golf, Pomona-Pitzer

Alexis Viramontes, Softball, CSU Dominguez Hills