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A former California Golden Bear and WUSA goalkeeper, Maite Zabala begins her fourth year with the Dons after spending the previous three years as an assistant at California. She also held the volunteer assistant position from 2001-03.
In nine years with Zabala as a player or coach, the Bears posted nine winning seasons and garnered eight NCAA Tournament bids, highlighted by a third-round appearance in 2005. Under Zabala's tutelage, the Bears ranked seventh among NCAA Division I leaders in team goals-against average at 0.475 in 2005 and matched a program high with 14 shutouts.
During her tenure in Berkeley, Zabala mentored goalkeeper Ashley Sulprizio, who ranked ninth among 2005 Division I leaders in goals-against average at 0.474 - the second-best mark in school history. Last season, Zabala worked with Anna Key, who posted a 0.75 GAA with seven shutouts. Key earned the 2006 Wooden Cup, presented to one intercollegiate athlete and one professional athlete who best display character, teamwork, and citizenship.
As a student-athlete at Cal from 1997-00, Zabala emerged as the Bears' all-time leader for career shutouts (26.5) and career saves (277). Zabala finished the 2000 season with the 10th-best goals-against average among Division I leaders at 0.64 with 9.5 shutouts. The Boise, Idaho product recorded a .900 career GAA in 6,295 minutes of action.
Zabala garnered four All-Pac-10 honors, including first-team recognition as a sophomore and junior, and received the Bears' team MVP award during her final two campaigns. She led the Bears to three NCAA Tournament berths (1998, '99 and '00), the program's only Pac-10 title in 1998 and a school-record 17 wins in 2000.
Following her Cal career, Zabala played for the WUSA's Atlanta Beat, Philadelphia Charge and Carolina Courage. During the spring of 2004, she helped Athletic Bilbao win the Spanish SuperLiga.
Zabala earned her bachelor's degree in political science from Cal in 2001.
