One word that can describe midfielder Jenae Kee is presence. It’s evident from the first moment you sit down with her.

Kee has come to Sacramento State to deliver wins and is one of several new players on the Sac State roster, including Maggie Murphy and Lisamarie La Vallee, the team’s leader in goals scored.

Kee, a Roseville native, played soccer at Woodcreek High School and was a decorated athlete. She garnered All-Sierra Foothill League honors in each of her four years and also took home the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award twice.

Kee left the Sacramento area after high school graduation and played the past two years for the San Francisco State University Gators. Brought in to play defense, Kee played 20 games as a freshman and contributed one goal and three assists to the team.

Kee was the team captain as a sophomore and helped make the Gators the Co-California Collegiate Athletic Association North Division Champions and a NCAA Far West Region Qualifier. In 2002 the Gators posted a record of 12-5-4.Playing in all 21 games, she led the team in overall points with 23 and the CCAA with 11 assists. She scored six goals including a game winner against Sonoma State.

Not only did her team reap the benefits of Kee’s abilities, but she was also recognized for her individual efforts. She won both All-CCAA first-team and All-West region first-team honors.

Kee said she enjoyed her time in San Francisco but felt it was time to pursue a different challenge. She didn’t want to get stuck in the monotony of redoing the same thing year after year. She did not want to become complacent.

She interviewed with several schools before deciding to come home and play for Sac State.

“I wanted to play with players who wanted to push themselves,” Kee said, who enjoys the role of underdog.

As part of the new attitude among Sac State athletics she will help turn around a women’s soccer program that won just three games last year. The turn around appears to be on an accelerated course with the Hornets going 3-0-1 in their last four contests.

Kee registered her first assist in the second game of the year to help the Hornets beat causeway rival UC Davis 3-1.

On Sept. 21 she helped the Hornets defeat the University of Nevada, Reno by scoring both goals in Sac State’s 2-1 double overtime victory.

She followed her two-goal performance by scoring the lone goal in a 1-1 tie against California State University, Northridge.

Kee is one of the team’s captains and uses her natural leadership skills to help propel her teammates to do their best.

“She is the type of player that isn’t afraid to get in your face when you aren’t performing at the right level, but will also encourage and support deeds well done,” head coach Karen Hanks said. “The Hornets will only go as far as the middle will take them. The key is the middle.”

“She is a playmaker with great skills,” Hanks said.

She also said Kee leads by example with a great work ethic and competitive fire.

With the first Big Sky conference game approaching against Portland State the team is peaking at the right time.

“We are coming together at the right time for conference,” Kee said.

The Hornets beat the No. 19 in the country team this past Sunday and will not see a ranked team in the Big Sky.

Kee has come to Sac State to deliver wins, her presence on and off the field should help keep deliveries right on time.