SACRAMENTO — Two soccer standouts – Andrea Kitahata, a December 2025 graduate of Stanford University who currently plays for Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and Dorian Darghali. a freshman at California Lutheran University, have been selected as recipients of the 2026 CalHOPE Courage Award.
Presented monthly since February 2022, the CalHOPE Courage Award honors student-athletes at California colleges and universities who have overcome stress, anxiety, and mental trauma associated with personal hardships and adversity. Kitahata, who was recognized in September 2025, and Darghali, a January 2026 honoree, were selected from the 14 monthly recipients for their journeys that best represent the spirit of the award.
A $2,000 donation will be made to support mental health services for students at California Lutheran University in Dorian’s name, while Andrea requested that her donation to support mental health services go to two organizations close to her heart, Katie’s Save and Female Footballers.
Here’s a closer look at Andrea and Dorian’s inspiring personal stories.
Andrea Kitahata
Upon arriving at Stanford in 2021, Andrea made an immediate impact, scoring four goals in her first 20 collegiate appearances. However, in fall 2022, the tragic loss of her close friend and teammate, Katie Meyer, sent her into a period of profound grief. Six games into her sophomore season, Andrea made the courageous decision to step away from soccer to focus on her well-being and begin the hard work of healing.
Her return in 2023 marked a remarkable comeback. Andrea played in all 25 matches, earned All-Pac-12 second-team honors, and demonstrated that mental resilience and athletic excellence can elevate one another. She continued to excel over the next two seasons and ultimately chose to return to Stanford for a fifth year, prioritizing her mental health and education over early professional opportunities.
This past season, she helped lead the Cardinal to a 22-2-2 record and a berth in the NCAA Championship Game, falling 1-0 to Florida State. Her career-best totals – 17 goals, 10 assists and 44 points – brought her overall collegiate marks to 39 goals, 32 assists, and 110 points across 99 games.
Andrea made her NWSL regular season debut for Gotham FC on March 12 in the home opener against the North Carolina Courage.
“Working through the grief of losing someone who was part of my daily routine – and suddenly disappeared – took…
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