Pepperdine University Athletics

PEPPERDINE 2021: Started the first 10 matches as a graduate student before missing the rest of the season due to injury … Attempted four shots … Was a part of the defense that had six shutouts in the first 10 games of the season … Had one assist vs. UC Santa Barbara (9/12) … WCC Commissioner’s Honor Roll “bronze” honors … A Pepperdine Scholar-Athlete.

CALIFORNIA: Graduated from California in 2021 with a degree in English and a minor in education ...  Played in 50 games with 31 starts as a defender for the Golden Bears over three seasons ... Had two goals and one assist ... Scored goals against Colorado (10/5/17) and UCLA (9/27/19) ... Was on Cal tams that made the NCAA Tournament in 2017 and 2019 ... Redshirted the 2018 season ... Made the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team in 2019 ... A Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll selection in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
 
U.S. SOCCER: Attended a U-14 U.S. Girls’ National Team camp.
 
CLUB: Played for the De Anza Force ... Won the Donasti Cup, an international tournament held in Spain ... Finished in the top three at the ECNL National Championships from 2013-16, and won the championship in 2013.
 
HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from The Harker School, located in San Jose, Calif., in 2017 ... Played two years of varsity soccer ... Scored 32 goals as a freshman and sophomore ... Won the West Bay Athlete League title in 2012 ... Earned all-league first team honors as a freshman ... Starting kicker for the varsity football team as a senior ... Also lettered in basketball.
 
PERSONAL: Pursuing a master’s degree in business science ... Born in San Jose, Calif. ... Daughter of Paul and Kathy Gifford ... Has one brother, Colin ... Chose to attend Pepperdine because “I felt both the university and soccer program would help me strive toward my future goals. I fell in love with the view from campus and could not imagine turning down the chance to go to school and play soccer right by the ocean.”
 
FAVORITES: Enjoys reading, listening to music and traveling ... Favorites include Serena Williams (pro athlete), Barcelona (pro team), The Art of Racing in the Rain (book), Remember the Titans (movie), Avatar the Last Airbender (TV show), Taylor Swift (musical artist), ramen (food) and basketball (sport other than soccer) ... Favorite thing about soccer is “the passion that surrounds the game. It is a contagious kind of passion that has the power to unite the world and I have always loved that about the sport. I also love the fact that playing soccer has given me some of my best friends for life.”