JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Jan. 8, 2026) - Gotham FC has signed Stanford University and U.S. youth international forward Andrea Kitahata through the 2026 season, the club announced Thursday in partnership with Dove.
Kitahata joins Gotham FC following an impressive collegiate career at Stanford, where she appeared in 99 matches over five seasons and led the Cardinal to two national title games and a third College Cup.
“I am both proud and excited to be joining a group of players and an organization with storied success,” said Kitahata. “I know that my development will be elevated by the level of talent and competitiveness in this environment. This organization has a clear identity rooted in grit and defying odds, and I’m ready to contribute to that mission. Let’s go, Gotham!”
Kitahata, 23, served as team captain in her final two years at Stanford and capped her collegiate career by helping lead the Cardinal to both the ACC regular-season championship and the ACC Tournament. In her final season, she recorded 17 goals – second most on the team – and 10 assists in 25 matches, scoring in four consecutive games on two separate occasions. She earned All-ACC first team honors and ACC Championship All-Tournament Team recognition, and in 2024, she became the first Stanford player to score in five consecutive matches since Catarina Macario in 2019.
Kitahata was part of Stanford’s Pac-12 championship team in 2022. She was also named to the All-Pac-12 second team twice, earning honors in 2021 and 2023 prior to Stanford’s move to the ACC.
“Andrea is a versatile attacking player with a strong collegiate background and experience at the youth international level,” said Yael Averbuch West, the general manager and head of soccer operations for Gotham FC. “She brings consistency and competitiveness to the group, and we’re looking forward to integrating her into our environment.”
A native of Hillsborough, California, Kitahata has represented the United States at multiple levels within the youth national team system. At the U-20 level, she competed at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. That same year, she helped the U.S. capture the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, scoring seven goals in six matches and earning the tournament’s Silver Boot.
