Area Townies Featured in PROJO 25 Year Review

The Providence Journal sports page recently profiled many student-athletes throughout Rhode Island for excellence over the past 25 years.  As in any survey, there are always additions that could be made.  While there certainly can be more Townies added to this list by the ProJo (we can think of Ben Sears & Dylan Annicelli in baseball), it is certainly noteworthy to mention their current choices here:

Keira Mullen – Girls Volleyball
Keira Mullen of East Providence High School, has committed to play volleyball at the College of Holy Cross starting in 2026. The 2024 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year selected Starlings Inspire as the recipient of the $1,000 gift she earned as Player of the Year. Good luck in your senior season at EPHS and best wishes at Holy Cross Keira!

Zach Stedman – Boys Volleyball
Zach Stedman is the oldest player on this All-State team. His dominance with East Providence stretches back to the turn of the century when he was a three-time All-State selection (1999-01). Stedman led the Townies to consecutive state championships in 2000-01 and an undefeated campaign in his senior year. That fall, Stedman had 223 kills and connected on 45 percent of his hits, with 210 assists and 66 blocks.

Eric Osei – Boys Track
Eric Osei, East Providence  He was a six-time individual champion at indoor and outdoor Interscholastic League track championships, including three straight victories at the shortest indoor distance — the 45 meters in 2003-04 and the 55 meters in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Matt Martin - Wrestling
Matt Martin, East Providence, 1999-03.  His career started slowly, but Martin blossomed into a star his final three years and ended up being one of the best lightweights in RIIL history. Martin finished fifth at 103 as a freshman before putting in the work and winning state gold his sophomore season, following it with a second-place finish at New Englands. He moved up to 112 as a junior and won gold, finishing fourth at New Englands, and closed his career with a repeat at states, earning Outstanding Wrestler in the process, and a New England championship.

Kimiyo Garcia – Girls Volleyball
Kimiyo Garcia starred on consecutive undefeated East Providence teams. The Townies went 83-1 from 2002-05 as Garcia dominated the middle in the first half of the dynasty. Garcia was a All-State Second Team pick in her sophomore season but then made the state’s top list in her final two years. In her senior year, Garcia had 146 kills, 47 blocks and 36 aces for East Providence.

Annie Reub – Girls Volleyball
East Providence’s Annie Rueb steered the Townies to three straight volleyball championships in the early 2000s. It’s no coincidence that her reign coincided with East Providence’s dominance as the Townies captured seven consecutive titles from 2000-2005. Rueb earned three All-State nods from The Journal during her career and was Gatorade’s Player of the Year for the 2002-03 school year. She finished her senior year with 139 kills (54% kill percentage), 50 blocks and 25 service aces.