March 27, 2020... WELLAND - The Niagara College women's soccer program has inked their first signing for 2020 in Kiana DiFrancesco.
DiFrancesco is a St. Catharines product, currently attending Sir Winston Churchill High School, and will be attending Niagara College in the Fall for the Occupational and Physio Therapy Assistant program.
The 5-foot-4 DiFrancesco plays both the midfielder and defence position and won the OYSL (Ontario Youth Soccer League) championship for their division last season.
Niagara head coach Rob Lalama has had DiFrancesco on his radar for a while now, after she attended a number of the NC Showcase tournaments over the years- most recently in 2019.
We've been scouting Kiana for a few years now," said Lalama. "She's been a regular participant in our annual Niagara College High School Showcase. "She's got at great attitude. A very talented player who possesses great balls skills and aggressiveness. Attributes that every coach is looking for."
The women's soccer program had an incredible run this season, finishing 5-2-2 and earning a second consecutive trip to the OCAA Championships in Ancaster. unfortunately the Knights were matched with the defending CCAA Champion Fanshawe Falcons, and were bounced from the tournament in the quarter-final game.
As coach Lalama continues to build his program, he believes DiFrancesco will be a welcome addition to his 2020 squad.
"I think what impresses me most about Kiana is her patience and confidence controlling the ball under pressure. She will fit in nicely with our strong core of returning players as we strive to build this soccer program into a Provincial champion."
