BATON ROUGE – After cracking LSU’s lineup as starting goalkeeper in the final six matches of the 2014 season, Catalina Rubiano was recognized by the Southeastern Conference on Thursday afternoon for her efforts in leading the community service activities over the past year as a member of the 2014 SEC Community Service Team for women’s soccer.
A native of New Orleans, Rubiano has been an ever-present figure in LSU Soccer’s community service efforts in 2014 when not manning her position in goal as a leader of the Tigers’ defense.
Since January, Rubiano has served as a Kids Hope mentor, which is ongoing mentoring program where she works elementary students at a local school. She has also served as a Cancer Services Camp Climb volunteer in which she interacts with kids aged 5-13 at a summer camp that had a parent or guardian suffering from cancer or who has recently survived the disease.
Not only that, but Rubiano has helped organize the team’s efforts at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI) Fan Day in 2014 where she interacted with visually-impaired kids and encouraged them through different activities. While working with LSU Move-In Day, she welcomed freshmen students to campus and helped them move into the dorms.
She loves impacting the lives of local children, including participating in the Emerge Center playground build in Baton Rouge while working with members of the community to build a playground for autistic children.
Rubiano has also made frequent visits to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge while going room to room to make surprise visits to cheer up patients. In addition, she volunteered at the local Pediatria Health Care facility where she played games with kids receiving treatment for chronic illness.
2014 SEC Women’s Soccer Community Service Team
Player, Position, School
Laura Lee Smith, Forward, Alabama
Margaret Power, Forward, Arkansas
Tori Ball, Forward/Midfielder, Auburn
Jillian Graff, Forward, Florida
Andie Fontanetta, Forward, Georgia
Danielle Fitzgerald, Forward, Kentucky
Catalina Rubiano, Goalkeeper, LSU
Kelly McCormick, Goalkeeper, Ole Miss
Shelby Jordan, Defender, Mississippi State
Brittanee Randle, Defender, Missouri
Taylor Leach, Defender, South Carolina
Gabby Santorio, Defender, Tennessee
Allie Bailey, Forward, Texas A&M
Erin Myers, Midfielder, Vanderbilt