Carla Cortijo
Encyclopedia
Carla Cortijo is a Puerto Rican basketball
player and the starting point guard
for the University of Texas women's basketball team and the Puerto Rico national team.
to Angel Cortijo and Lourdes Sanchez. She grew up in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico
. Cortijo first earned widespread fame for her basketball skills during two seasons of play for Maria Auxiliadora High School, which went undefeated and won the Puerto Rico
commonwealth championship both years. Cortijo was named Puerto Rico's High School Basketball Player of the Year for 2002.
After Cortijo's sophomore season, her family moved to the Houston area. Cortijo attracted national attention as a star point guard
for Bellaire High School
. She also played AAU
basketball for the Houston Elite squad, leading them to the 2004 AAU national title. Cortijo earned Parade Magazine All-American honors for her high school play, and was rated the nation's best point guard in her recruiting class by All Star Girls Report. However, she missed her entire high school senior season with an injury to her left knee.
As a redshirt freshman in 2006-2007, Cortijo played in 28 games for the Longhorns and started in 18. She led the team in assists, with 137 on the season. Cortijo was one of five players named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team and the Big 12 All-Academic First Team.
Cortijo announced during the offseason that she planned to transfer to St. John's University in New York
. However, Texas coach Gail Goestenkors
eventually persuaded Cortijo to rejoin the Longhorns for the 2007-2008 season.
Cortijo is majoring in Spanish and minoring in textiles.
, which advanced to the finals gathering victories over the United States, Argentina and Brazil. In the gold medal game, Cortijo scored 29 points and recovered 10 rebounds, being Puerto Rico's most productive player in the victory over Mexico.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and the starting point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for the University of Texas women's basketball team and the Puerto Rico national team.
Early life
Cortijo was born in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
to Angel Cortijo and Lourdes Sanchez. She grew up in the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...
. Cortijo first earned widespread fame for her basketball skills during two seasons of play for Maria Auxiliadora High School, which went undefeated and won the Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
commonwealth championship both years. Cortijo was named Puerto Rico's High School Basketball Player of the Year for 2002.
After Cortijo's sophomore season, her family moved to the Houston area. Cortijo attracted national attention as a star point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for Bellaire High School
Bellaire High School (Bellaire, Texas)
Bellaire High School is a secondary school of the Houston Independent School District, and its campus is located in Bellaire, Texas ....
. She also played AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
basketball for the Houston Elite squad, leading them to the 2004 AAU national title. Cortijo earned Parade Magazine All-American honors for her high school play, and was rated the nation's best point guard in her recruiting class by All Star Girls Report. However, she missed her entire high school senior season with an injury to her left knee.
College career
Cortijo signed with the University of Texas. Early in her freshman season, she reinjured her knee, and received a medical redshirt waiver for the 2005-2006 season.As a redshirt freshman in 2006-2007, Cortijo played in 28 games for the Longhorns and started in 18. She led the team in assists, with 137 on the season. Cortijo was one of five players named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team and the Big 12 All-Academic First Team.
Cortijo announced during the offseason that she planned to transfer to St. John's University in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. However, Texas coach Gail Goestenkors
Gail Goestenkors
Gail Ann Goestenkors , is the women's basketball head coach for The University of Texas, having accepted the position on April 3, 2007, replacing the legendary Jody Conradt. Goestenkors was the Duke University women's basketball head coach from 1992–2007...
eventually persuaded Cortijo to rejoin the Longhorns for the 2007-2008 season.
Cortijo is majoring in Spanish and minoring in textiles.
International career
Cortijo represents Puerto Rico in the international competitions sanctioned by FIBA. As regular point guard, she led the team to the gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games2011 Pan American Games
The 2011 Pan American Games, officially the XVI Pan American Games, was an international multi-sport event that was held from October 14–30, 2011 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Some events were held in the nearby cities of Ciudad Guzmán, Puerto Vallarta, Lagos de Moreno and Tapalpa...
, which advanced to the finals gathering victories over the United States, Argentina and Brazil. In the gold medal game, Cortijo scored 29 points and recovered 10 rebounds, being Puerto Rico's most productive player in the victory over Mexico.
External links
- http://www.texassports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=33&change_well_id=17&member_id=672 University of Texas media guide
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans