Story courtesy of Toledo Media Relations
TOLEDO, OH - 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
TM. The event will take place between June 26-July 17 in Germany.
Gaitàn possesses an abundance of national team experience and most recently played a key role in helping the U-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
TM in Germany.
Gaitàn and Colombia's national squad, which will be making their first appearance at the FIFA Women's World Cup
TM, 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 & Gold. She started every match on defense and was named to the NSCAA/Performance Subaru All-Great Lakes Region Second-Team, as well as earning a spot on the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team. Gaitàn was part of a UT defense that posted 10 shutouts and ranked second in the league in goals allowed (17), GAA (0.78) and blankings. The Rockets sported a 15-4-2 overall record in 2010, 10-1-0 in the league, en route capturing a share of its second MAC regular-season title in the last three seasons.