Kelly Kaitanjian

Position:
Midfielder
Height:
5-3
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Whittier, Calif.
High School:
La Serna

Freshman (1997): Kaitanjian made 16 starts and appeared in all 18 games, scoring three goals and adding three assists for nine points. She had the game-winning goal in the 117th minute of a 2-1 overtime victory vs. Iowa State on Sept. 7. She had another overtime winner in the 112th minute against Texas Tech on Oct. 19, another 2-1 victory, and also assisted on the first goal in the sixth minute. Kaitanjian scored in her second consecutive game on Oct. 24 against Texas. She also had assists vs. Missouri and Wyoming.

High School: A four-year letterwinner for coach Lou Diaz and La Serna, Kaitanjian was about as decorated as an athlete can get in high school, as she has been named first-team all-CIF and first-team all-league each of her four seasons at La Serna. As a junior and senior, in addition to the all-CIF honors, she was named the Del Rio league's Most Valuable Player, and also earned mention as the Whittier Daily News’ Player of the Year. In 1995, her sophomore season, she was named the Del Rio Offensive Player of the Year, and won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award her freshman season. La Serna won the league championship each of her four years, a time period over which she registered an amazing 83 goals and 115 assists. She also shines academically, as she was named to the California Scholastic Federation each of her four years as a prep, was a four-year member of La Serna's honor roll, received the school's Distinguished Scholar and Lance Awards (which recognize excellence in the classroom) and graduated with honors.

Personal: Born March 3, 1979, in Montebello, Calif., Kaitanjian plans on majoring in business at Colorado. A sister, Kim, played Division I soccer for UC Irvine.