Nov. 16, 2007

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's basketball program announced today the signing of four players to national letters of intent in the early signing period. Santa Clara signed high school seniors Troy Alexander, Kevin Foster, James Rahon and Marc Trasolini to letters of intent.

"I am very excited to sign our first recruiting class at Santa Clara," said head coach Kerry Keating. "All four players are academically inclined and players that we set out to sign. All have performed at a high level and come from winning programs. They also come from solid backgrounds on and off the floor. We expect that to carry over to their time at Santa Clara. We also expect all four to come in and contribute to our success right away."

Rahon has had a decorated prep career playing for John Olive at Torrey Pines High School (Encinitas, Calif.). A great shooter with the ability to play both guard positions, he averaged 26.6 points per game as a junior and shot 48 percent from the field, while scoring over 30 points on 11 occasions. He scored a season-high 41 in the state semifinals and led his team to a 24-7 record last year. The son of Steve and Emelie Rahon, he is expected to be a big contributor for Santa Clara.

"James comes to Santa Clara from a winning environment," said Keating. "He is very well-coached and he understands the importance of hard work and being a great competitor. He is a scorer that can play both guard positions and has the ability to shoot from outside or create his own shot."

Alexander comes to Santa Clara from Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas. Last year, the 6-1, 180 pound point guard helped lead his high school to a 30-4 record in Texas 4A and a spot in the 4A state semifinals. Alexander will fill a need for the Broncos at point guard following the graduation of Brody Angley after this season. Alexander, the son of David and Sandy, plays for David Piehler at Highland Park.

"Troy epitomizes the word `winner'," said Keating. "His team made it to the state semifinals last year and won 30 games. His summer league team also had a great record so he knows about winning. He has natural leadership qualities that will carry over to the team next year here. He is also a great student."

Kevin Foster has been a standout at Morton Ranch High School in Katy, Texas near Houston and was named one of Texas' top 30 recruits. As a junior, he was named All-District 18-5A First Team and was also named All-Greater Houston Second Team in 2007. A 6-2, 190 shooting guard, Foster should provide excellent outside shooting and a solid all-around game for the Broncos. The son of Rick and Gilda, Foster plays for Karey Palmer at Morton Ranch.

"Kevin comes from a great background," said Keating. "He understands the value of the education that he will receive at Santa Clara. He is a great shooter and will be an excellent option for us on the wing. He loves to play and has a burning desire to get better every day. He is also extremely well-grounded because of the influence of his family."

Marc Trasolini, a native of Vancouver, B.C. is the only big man of Keating's first recruiting class and he will arrive at Santa Clara after a great prep career. He continues the long tradition of Canadian players at Santa Clara. The 6-8, 220 pound forward averaged 23 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks a game for Vancouver College last year under head coach John Tagalao. He also dished out three assists and averaged two steals a game. Trasolini, whose parents are Franco and Donna Trasolini, impressed during his time with the Basketball B.C.s Under-17 team's trip to the United States. He helped the B.C.s earn a Bronze medal at the Canadian U-17 tournament this past summer, putting up 30 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in the Bronze medal game against Ontario.

"Marc is a fierce competitor," said Keating. "He is a physical post player and a good athlete who has a knack for rebounding and blocking shots. However, his tenacity and toughness really stand out and that will be good for our program. He has the ability to rise to the level of his competition and we expect him do that at Santa Clara. He is another good student who fits in with our goal of bringing in the best possible student-athletes to the Mission Campus."

Santa Clara National Letter of Intent Signees At A Glance

James Rahon - G
Height: 6-4
Weight: 185
Hometown: Encinitas, Calif.

Troy Alexander - G
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180
Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Kevin Foster - G
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
Hometown: Katy, Texas

Marc Trasolini - F
Height: 6-8
Weight: 220
Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.