Katie Ticehurst Class: Senior Hometown: Los Alamitos High School: Mater Dei Height: 5-6 Position: Defender Birthdate: 04/19/1979

THIS SEASON: Ticehurst has missed only one start in her career and the senior midfielder could be the catalyst in how far the Trojans go this season.

JIM MILLINDER SAYS: "When Katie is on her game, she is one of the best defensive midfielders in America. She needs to know her role with this team; she's a great leader and one of the seniors who has helped build this program from the ground floor up. As long as she knows her role and plays simple, we could have a great run this year. Katie is extremely solid and should be one of the top players on the team."

1999: Ticehurst was a force yet again as a 1999 junior, starting for the second straight year at defensive midfielder (and her third year starting overall)...played in 19 matches and had three goals and one assist for a total of seven points...took 20 shots during the season...all three of her goals (against Florida, Montana and Arizona) came from about 30 yards out...had a goal and her lone assist against Arizona...played for the Olympic Development Program Cal-South team over the summer.

1998: Ticehurst moved to defensive midfielder as a 1998 sophomore and was a standout again, playing in all 22 games and starting 21...recorded one goal and two assists for four points...her goal against Cal State Fullerton was a blast from about 30 yards out...her assists came against Towson and Oregon.

1997: Establishing herself as a future star, Ticehurst was exceptional at defender as a 1997 freshman and earned 1997 Soccer Buzz Freshman All-American honorable mention honors...one of only three players to start all 20 games and had one goal and one assist for a total of three points...scored the game-winner in overtime against Oregon State and the assist came against Washington State.

HIGH SCHOOL: Ticehurst earned two-time (1996-97) All-CIF Southern Section, Orange County Register All-Orange County, Los Angeles Times All-Orange County and All-South Coast League first team honors at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana...was Mater Dei's Female Athlete of the Year in 1997 after scoring 16 goals and getting seven assists as a senior...as a 1996 junior, she had 19 goals and six assists and was named MVP of the South Coast League...as a sophomore and freshman, she was named to the All-South Coast League second team...started all four years as her team won 1994, 1995 and 1996 South Coast League titles...graduated with honors from Mater Dei...also played on the Under-14 and Under-16 Cal-South ODP team, then was a member of the Under-17 and Under-18 West Region team...in the summer of 1997, she played for the Cal-South team and was in the pool of the top 36 players in the West Region...also played on the Southern California Blues club team, which won the State Cup championship in 1997.

PERSONAL: She has a 3.22 GPA at USC and is majoring in Spanish...made the 1998 and 1999 Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention teams...her brother, Brad, was an outfielder on the USC baseball team from 1996-99...sports hero is Michael Jordan...birthdate is April 19, 1979.