Soccer player selected Colombia team captain for Women’s World Cup

June 2, 2011 | News, UToday
By Brian DeBenedictis



Gaitàn

Gaitàn

Junior Natalia Gaitàn has been named a team captain for the Colombia National Team and will represent her home country in the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The event will take place from Sunday, June 26, through Sunday, July 17, in Germany.

Gaitàn possesses an abundance of national team experience and most recently played a key role in helping the Under-20 Colombia National Team reach the finals of the 2010 South American Women’s Soccer Championships and place fourth at the U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.

Gaitàn and Colombia’s national squad, which will be making its first appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, will compete in the ultra-competitive Group C (four groups) against Sweden Tuesday, June 28, in Leverkusen; the United States (top-ranked nation in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking) Saturday, July 2, in Sinsheim; and Korea DPR Wednesday, July 6, in Bochum.

Gaitàn is coming off an outstanding 2010 fall campaign wearing the Midnight Blue and Gold. She started every match on defense and was named to the NSCAA/Performance Subaru All-Great Lakes Region Second-Team, as well as earned a spot on the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team.

She was part of a UT defense that posted 10 shutouts and ranked second in the league in goals allowed (17), goals against average (0.78) and blankings.

The Rockets sported a 15-4-2 overall record in 2010, 10-1-0 in the league, en route to capturing a share of its second MAC regular-season title in the last three seasons.

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