Carla Cortijo

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Carla Cortijo

| image =

| nationality = American

| league = Baloncesto Superior Nacional

| team = Cangrejeros de Santurce

| number =

| position = Assistant coach

| career_position = Point guard

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 8

| weight_lbs = 135

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1987|07|21}}

| birth_place = Carolina, Puerto Rico

| college = Texas (2005–2008)

| career_start = 2008

| career_end = 2018

| coach_start = 2017

| coach_end =

| years1 = 2014–2015

| team1 = Gigantes de Carolina

| years2 = {{WNBA Year|2015}}–2017

| team2 = Atlanta Dream

| years3 = 2015–2017

| team3 = Gigantes de Carolina

| cyears1 = 2017

| cteam1 = Puerto Rico (assistant)

| cyears2 = 2021–present

| cteam2 = Cangrejeros de Santurce (assistant)

| highlights =

3× BSNF champion (2014–2016)
2× BSNF Finals MVP (2014, 2015)

| bbr_wnba = cortica01w

| wnba_profile = carla_cortijo

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry |{{PUR}}}}

}}

Carla Cortijo Sánchez (born July 21, 1987) is a Puerto Rican former professional basketball player. She played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and the Puerto Rican national team.

Early life

Cortijo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico 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.[http://www.houstonelite.com/News/2004/cortijo_houchron_20040217.htm Carla Cortijo Article] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828133228/http://www.houstonelite.com/News/2004/cortijo_houchron_20040217.htm |date=2008-08-28 }} 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.[http://www.texassports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=33&change_well_id=17&member_id=672 TexasSports.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070222080346/http://www.texassports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=33&change_well_id=17&member_id=672 |date=February 22, 2007 }} 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 re-injured 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.[http://www.redstormsports.com/women/basketball/news/pr_wbasketball_m070516.sju St. John's RedStorm Sports – Women's Sports – Basketball – News – Women's Basketball Player Carla Cortijo To Attend St. John's] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127235808/http://www.redstormsports.com/women/basketball/news/pr_wbasketball_m070516.sju |date=November 27, 2007 }} However, Texas coach Gail Goestenkors eventually persuaded Cortijo to rejoin the Longhorns for the 2007–2008 season.[http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/10/30/Sports/Cortijo.Ready.To.Step.Up.And.Lead.Young.Team-3064465.shtml Cortijo ready to step up and lead young team – Sports]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/sports/ncaabasketball/11texas.html |title=Key Piece of Family Returns to Texas |last=The Associated Press |date=2007-11-11 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2017-09-05 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

International career

Cortijo represented 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 Games, 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.

She was a member of the team which competed for Puerto Rico at the 2011 Pan American Games, winning a gold medal.{{cite web |url=http://info.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/BK/BKR173A_BKW40040010100001ENG.htm |title=Basketball: Women's Gold Medal Match 18 |website=Guadalajara2011.org.mx |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819163246/http://info.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/BK/BKR173A_BKW40040010100001ENG.htm |archivedate=2014-08-19}}

=Controversy=

Cortijo alleged that the then Puerto Rican Basketball Federation president Carlos Beltrán denied her an opportunity to play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for the Atlanta Dream in order for her to participate with the Puerto Rican women's national basketball team at the 2015 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Women's Pre-Olympic qualifying tournament.{{Cite news |url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/deportes/baloncesto/nota/federaciondebaloncestotronchaelsuenodecortijoenlawnba-2083246/ |title=Federación de baloncesto troncha el sueño de Cortijo en la WNBA |date=2015-08-06 |work=El Nuevo Dia |access-date=2017-09-05 |language=es-pr}}

Career statistics

=WNBA=

==Regular season==

{{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA regular season statistics{{cite web |title=Carla Cortijo WNBA Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/c/cortica01w.html |work=Basketball Reference |access-date=March 10, 2025}}}}

| align=left| {{wnbay|2015}}

| align=left| Atlanta

| 2 || 0 || 16.0 || .556 || .500 || .750 || 0.5 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 7.0

| align=left| {{wnbay|2016}}

| align=left| Atlanta

| 27 || 1 || 10.9 || .354 || .289 || .781 || 1.6 || 1.6 || 0.3 || 0.0|| 1.0 || 4.7

|- class="sortbottom"

| align=left| Career

| align=left| 2 years, 1 team

| 29 || 1 || 11.2 || .368 || .298 || .778 || 1.5 || 1.6 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 4.9

==Playoffs==

| style="text-align:left;"| 2016

| style="text-align:left;"| Atlanta

| 2 || 0 || 3.0 || .500 || .000 || — || 0.5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:left;"| Career

| style="text-align:left;"| 1 year, 1 team

| 2 || 0 || 3.0 || .500 || .000 || — || 0.5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0

=College=

class="wikitable sortable"

|+NCAA statistics{{Cite web |url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careerplayer |title=NCAA Statistics |website=web1.ncaa.org |access-date=2017-08-28}}

!Year

!Team

!GP

!Points

!FG%

!3P%

!FT%

!RPG

!APG

!SPG

!BPG

!PPG

2005-06

|rowspan=4| Texas

|45

|37.8%

|0.0%

|85.0%

|3.0

|2.3

|1.3

|0.0

|7.5

2006-07

|30

|223

|36.3%

|25.4%

|73.0%

|4.4

|4.9

|1.7

|0.0

|7.4

2007-08

|35

|353

|37.5%

|32.6%

|75.8%

|3.0

|4.9

|2.0

|0.1

|10.1

2008-09

|33

|230

|39.1%

|71.1%

|3.3

|4.5

|1.3

|0.0

|7.0

class="sortbottom"

|align=center colspan=2|Career

|104

|851

|37.6%

|31.3%

|74.5%

|3.5

|4.6

|1.6

|0.0

|8.2

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20070222080346/http://www.texassports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=33&change_well_id=17&member_id=672 University of Texas media guide]

Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Puerto Rican women's basketball players

Category:Texas Longhorns women's basketball players

Category:Atlanta Dream players

Category:Point guards

Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Puerto Rico

Category:Pan American Games basketball players for Puerto Rico

Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in basketball

Category:Basketball players at the 2011 Pan American Games

Category:Basketball players at the 2015 Pan American Games

Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games