FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University softball coach Stacey Vallee has announced the addition of pitcher/outfielder Jessie Alesi of Elk Grove Village, Ill., pitcher/outfielder Katie Campbell of Frisco, Texas, and outfielder Nicole Reuter of El Reno, Okla., all of whom will be transferring from Midwestern junior colleges, to the Patriot roster for 2008. The trio will all have two years of eligibility at FMU.

Alesi, 5-10, is transferring to Francis Marion from Kankakee (Ill.) Community College, where she played for coach Dennis Clarke.

She was recently named a second-team NJCAA All-American after hitting .410 with 49 runs scored, three home runs, 37 runs batted in, and seven stolen bases. On the mound, she recorded a 13-6 record with a 1.98 earned run average and 156 strikeouts in 113 innings.

As a freshman, she batted .432, scored a school-record 70 runs, and recorded 21 extra-base hits and 29 RBIs. She compiled a 24-4 pitching mark with a 1.10 ERA and a school-record 205 strikeouts in 157.2 innings, and earned honorable mention All-America recognition.

In her two seasons, the Cavaliers posted a combined 92-19 record, twice won the Region IV title, and twice went to the NJCAA national tournament, including a fifth-place showing in 2006.

Alesi was an All-Area and All-Conference performer at Elk Grove High School.

Campbell, 5-3, is transferring to FMU from McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, where she played for coach Manuel Ordones.

This past spring, she hit .295 with 26 runs scored, 17 RBIs, and a .380 on-base percentage. On the mound, she posted a 12-3 record with a 1.03 earned run average, while helping the Highlassies to a 48-12 record and a spot in the NJCAA Division I national championships.

She earned second-team All-Conference honors each of her two seasons at McLennan. She batted .367 as a freshman.

Campbell was an All-State selection and three-time All-District pick at Frisco High School.

Reuter, 5-5, comes to Francis Marion from Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kan., where she played for coach Ed Hargrove.

As a sophomore, she batted .374 with eight home runs and a team-leading 57 RBIs. She helped lead the Tigers to a 46-9 record and a fourth consecutive Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title. She garnered third-team NJCAA All-America, second-team All-Conference, and first-team All-Region honors.

She was an honorable mention All-Conference selection in 2006 after hitting .303 with 33 runs scored, six home runs, and 26 RBIs, while her squad placed fourth at the NJCAA Division II national championships.

Reuter is a product of El Reno High School.

“I am very excited about these signees,” said Vallee. “All three are very good students, are coming from strong junior college programs, are lefty hitters, and will have the opportunity to step in and contribute immediately. Jessie is a rise-ball pitcher who possesses confidence and a strong presence on the mound. She is a power hitter with a strong arm in the outfield. Katie is a movement pitcher. At the plate, she is a slap hitter with decent speed. Nicole is a power hitter who plays with a very aggressive nature. She is a leader who always gives 100 percent.”

Francis Marion lost three seniors from the 2007 squad that finished 34-16. For the fourth straight year, the Patriots narrowly missed earning a bid to the NCAA Division II national tournament.