Rachael Balaguer

Georgia

Sep 12 (Fri)

7:30 PM

Position:
Defender
Height:
5-4
Class:
Junior
High School:
St. Stephen's
Hometown:
Austin, Texas

2009 Texas A&M/Verizon Outstanding Athletics Scholar
2010 Academic All-Big 12 first team

2011 - SENIOR: Started in every match for the Aggies as a senior defender, playing every minute of 17 games ... Assisted five goals on the season ... Earned a season-high two assists against Drake (Oct. 14) ... Took a season-high two shots vs. Drake and again at Texas (Oct. 28), placing both on frame ... Fired seven shots on the season, with three on target ... Led the backline in holding opponents to under half the number of shots taken by opponents.

2010-- JUNIOR: Team captain ... One of only two Aggies who started in all 23 matches ... Earned one assist vs. St. John's (Aug. 22) and placed one-of-one shots on goal vs. Colorado (Sept. 24) as an outside back ... Led the defense in shutting out nine opponents and allowing only 296 shots, compared to 468 by the Aggies ... Named to the Academic All-Big 12 first team.

2009 -- SOPHOMORE: Only player to start in all 25 games ... Helped the Aggies to 10 shutouts from the right back position ... Assisted game-winning goals at Saint Mary's (Sept. 6) and Oklahoma State (Oct. 9) ... Registered four shots and one shot on goal ... Honored at A&M's annual CHAMPS Awards Banquet as a Texas A&M/Verizon Athletics Scholar ... Earned the award by maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0 over the calendar year.

2008 -- FRESHMAN: Started in 18 of 23 games on the backline and as a midfielder ... Contributed first career assist against Indiana (Aug. 31) ... Took a shot vs. Texas (Sept. 26), Baylor (Sept. 28) and Iowa State (Oct. 12) ... Fired off a career-high two shots vs. Kansas (Nov. 5) at the Big 12 Championship and again vs. Washington (Nov. 16) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament where she also netted her first career goal, a game winner.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Four year starter for St. Stephen's Soccer Academy coached by Hue Menzies, Shane Maguire, and Bobby Murphy (2004-08) ... Served as Team Captain for the 2008 season ... Member of the Region III Olympic Development Program Team (2006-08) ... Played for Assistant Coach Phil Stephenson at Interregional Olympic Development Program Event in Pomona, Calif. ... Toured Europe with the Region III Team ... Played in the Thanksgiving Interregional, Boca Raton, Fla. ... . Member of the South Texas Olympic Development Program Team (2002-07) ... Finished 2nd Place in the 2006 Region III Camp Tournament ... Played for Austin United Navy (2000-04) ... Served as captain for three years ... Played with Lonestars '89 Red Team (2004-06) coached by Dave "Smitty" Smith ... Orange Classic Champions Millennium Bracket 2005 ... Austin Labor Day Cup Champions 2006 ... Lonestars '90 Captain (2006-08) ... Traveled to Mexico to play U-20 Mexican National Team (2007) ... Also earned Track MVP and All SPC Award in 2006 for the 400 and 800 meters ... Was Cross Country All SPC in 2007.

PERSONAL: Rachael Victoria Balaguer was born September 25, 1989 in San Jose, California ... Daughter of Scott and Debbie Balaguer ... Has two younger brothers, David (18) and Zack (14) ... Dad Scott played football at Northeastern University ... Was a member of College Prep classes Honor Roll (2004-07) ... Was sophomore class representative for the Student Government ... Member of the Young Republicans Club ... Chose A&M because, "I have wanted to go here since I was a little girl. I wanted to go to a school with a team that is not only great athletes and competitors, but also good people." ... Allied health major.