Perez Garners Palm Beach County Award

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Redshirt sophomore Catalina Perez of the University of Miami soccer team was honored Thursday as ESPN Deportes West Palm 760 AM’s 2015 Hispanic Female Athlete of the Year in Palm Beach County.

With the Hurricanes in Louisville, Ky. for a road match, Perez’s mother, Luz Maria, accepted the award on her behalf at the Puerto Rican Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Palm Beach.

“Thank you to ESPN Deportes West Palm for this award and for your support,” the Hurricane goalkeeper said. “I am very proud to be part of the Hispanic community of West Palm Beach.”

A graduate of St. Andrew’s in Boca Raton, Fla., Perez made national headlines this summer as a member of the Colombian National Team at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She earned the starting nod in the country’s first-ever knockout round match at the Women’s World Cup.

In that match, which came against the United States, Perez played 47 minutes and did not concede a goal at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alta., Canada. The match against the U.S. was her first competitive action since suffering an injury that kept her out the whole 2014 season at Miami.

During her experience at the World Cup, Perez wrote a five-part diary for HurricaneSports.com and provided images for a photo gallery.

Perez and the Hurricanes will be back on the field at home Sunday at 1:00 p.m. against seventh-ranked Clemson. Before the match, Jill Ellis, who coached the U.S. Women’s National Team against Perez and Colombia in the World Cup, will be recognized.

To learn more about University of Miami soccer, follow @CanesFutbol.