Newly hired women’s soccer head coach Sarah Barnes announced her first recruiting class yesterday, signing four to National Letters of Intent for the fall 2012 season.

Kristi Abbate, Brooke Bean, Amanda Gaggioli and Kyla Ridley will all don Colonial uniforms next season. They will join GW’s 18 returning letterwinners, including eight starters, from last season.

“We are extremely excited to welcome these four players to GW,” Barnes said. “They bring a lot of talent to our roster, and I’m looking forward to working with them this fall.”

Abbate, a midfielder/forward, was a four-year starter for Northport High School in Northport, N.Y., and a four-year all-county and Newsday Player to Watch All-League selection. Abbate earned New York All-State team honors three times and was awarded All-Long Island honors twice. During her sophomore season, she was dubbed Suffolk County Player of the Year, and has been a member of the Albertson 93 Fury club team since 2007.

A midfielder, Bean was a three-year starter at Falls Church High School. A three-year first team all-district selection, the Annandale, Va. native was named to the all-region second team in 2011 and was an All-Met Honorable Mention. In her senior season Bean was named the National District Player of the Year and has also played for the Football Club of Virginia since 2007.

Gaggioli, a midfielder/forward, has been a member of the Illinois Olympic Development Program team since 2007. A West Chicago, Ill., native, she attended St. Francis College Prep, while also competing for the Chicago Fire Junior Red 11 team and the NSA Premier Fury.

Ridley, a forward, was a five-year member and three-time captain of the Elmont Memorial girl’s varsity soccer team. Hailing from Elmont, N.Y., she was named the team’s most improved player after her freshman season and was twice recognized as team MVP. Ridley earned all-conference team honors twice, including her senior season when her 26 goals earned her the title of top goal scorer on Long Island. Ridley competed for the Super-Y Brooklyn Knights club team that won the Mid Atlantic League, placing third at Super-Y Nationals in 2010. She also played for the Manhattan Pride, winning the JAGS Showcase and Bethesda Tournament in 2011, in addition to competing for the ENY Olympic Development Program team.